2018–19 Lebanese Premier League

The 2018–19 season was one of the worst for Lebanese football since the Lebanese Civil War for various issues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.falebanon.com/poor-preparations-match-fixing-and-tensions-between-clubs-and-the-fa-result-in-worst-domestic-season-in-recent-years/|title=Poor preparations, match-fixing and tensions between clubs and the FA result in worst domestic season in recent years|last=Afiouni|first=Nadim|date=2019-06-01|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-18}}

The first issue was the poor preparation and management of most clubs. Nejmeh had changed their head coach twice and bought five of ten summer signings only in the last week of the transfer window. Ansar changed their coach a week before the season began and signed two players in the last days of the transfer window. The league's smaller clubs had other problems. Tadamon Sour found themselves without a head coach or president at the start of the season. Tripoli also began the season without a head coach, as well as having not signed any new players. Nabi Chit SC changed their name to Bekaa SC in a failed attempt to attract more investors. Overall, only five of twelve teams kept their manager from the previous season, and most summer acquisitions were concluded in the final days of the signing window.

The second issue concerned the tensions between the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) and the clubs, with the referees' performances being the hot topic. Clubs like Ansar and Nejmeh protested to the Federation, threatening to leave the league if no improvements were to be made. These tensions culminated with the resignation of Semaan Douaihy, a member of the Executive Committee of the LFA. Salam Zgharta FC and Racing Beirut announcing their withdrawal from all LFA-managed competitions.

The final issue the league faced was the re-emergence of match-fixing. While the LFA proved its existence, it made no effort to punish the parties involved or to cancel the results of the implicated teams.

Al Ahed FC won their third consecutive title with a ten-point margin. The battle for second place went down to the wire, with Ansar claiming an AFC Cup spot from Nejmeh in the last matchday of the league. The relegation battle was also determined on the last matchday, with eight of the 12 teams all candidates for relegation. The Beirut Municipal Stadium and the Fouad Chehab Stadium returned to host Lebanese Premier League matches.

Prior to the start of each season, every team chooses two stadiums as their home venues. In case both stadiums are unavailable for a certain matchday, another venue is used.

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WDL

|section=League table

|source=[http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?c=15940&stage=1 Goalzz]

|team1=AHE |team2=ANS |team3=NEJ |team4=AKA |team5=SAH |team6=GHA |team7=TAD |team8=TRI |team9=ZGH |team10=SAF |team11=RAC |team12=BEK

|update=complete

|win_AHE=19 |draw_AHE=2 |loss_AHE=1 |gf_AHE=40 |ga_AHE=9 |status_AHE=C

|win_ANS=15 |draw_ANS=4 |loss_ANS=3 |gf_ANS=53 |ga_ANS=18 |status_ANS=

|win_AKA=10 |draw_AKA=3 |loss_AKA=9 |gf_AKA=28 |ga_AKA=32 |status_AKA=

|win_BEK=3 |draw_BEK=4 |loss_BEK=15 |gf_BEK=19 |ga_BEK=38 |status_BEK=R

|win_GHA=6 |draw_GHA=6 |loss_GHA=10 |gf_GHA=24 |ga_GHA=31 |status_GHA=

|win_NEJ=15 |draw_NEJ=3 |loss_NEJ=4 |gf_NEJ=36 |ga_NEJ=17 |status_NEJ=

|win_RAC=5 |draw_RAC=6 |loss_RAC=11 |gf_RAC=22 |ga_RAC=32 |status_RAC=R

|win_SAF=5 |draw_SAF=7 |loss_SAF=10 |gf_SAF=16 |ga_SAF=29 |status_SAF=

|win_ZGH=5 |draw_ZGH=7 |loss_ZGH=10 |gf_ZGH=15 |ga_ZGH=30 |status_ZGH=

|win_SAH=8 |draw_SAH=4 |loss_SAH=10 |gf_SAH=32 |ga_SAH=32 |status_SAH=

|win_TAD=5 |draw_TAD=8 |loss_TAD=9 |gf_TAD=16 |ga_TAD=21 |status_TAD=

|win_TRI=5 |draw_TRI=8 |loss_TRI=9 |gf_TRI=14 |ga_TRI=26 |status_TRI=

|hth_TAD=Head-to-head results: Tadamon Sour 0–0 Tripoli, Tripoli 0–0 Tadamon Sour. |hth_TRI=TAD

|hth_ZGH=Head-to-head results: Salam Zgharta 0–0 Safa, Safa 0–1 Salam Zgharta. |hth_SAF=ZGH

|result1=ACGS |result2=ACGS |result11=REL |result12=REL

|name_AHE=Ahed

|name_ANS=Ansar

|name_AKA=Akhaa Ahli

|name_BEK=Bekaa

|name_NEJ=Nejmeh

|name_RAC=Racing Beirut

|name_SAF=Safa

|name_ZGH=Salam Zgharta

|name_GHA=Chabab Ghazieh

|name_SAH=Shabab Sahel

|name_TAD=Tadamon Sour

|name_TRI=Tripoli

|show_limit=5

|class_rules=1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw.

|res_col_header=QR

|col_ACGS=blue1 |text_ACGS=Qualification for 2020 and 2021 AFC Cup group stage

|col_REL=red1 |text_REL=Relegation to Lebanese Second Division

|note_res_ACGS=Since league champions Ahed were also Lebanese FA Cup winners, the league runners-up qualified for the AFC Cup group stage. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon, the 2019–20 Lebanese Premier League and the 2019–20 Lebanese FA Cup were cancelled and declared null and void by the Lebanese Football Association (the competitions were previously suspended due to domestic issues including protests and financial problems). Therefore, Ahed and Ansar qualified to both the 2020 and 2021 AFC Cup group stage.

}}

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{{Lebanese Premier League}}

{{2018 in Asian football (AFC)}}

{{2019 in Asian football (AFC)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2018-19 Lebanese Premier League}}

Category:2018–19 Lebanese Premier League

Category:Lebanese Premier League seasons

Lebanon

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