# 2008 Belarusian Premier League

The 2008 Belarusian Premier League was the 18th season of top-tier football in Belarus. It started on April 6 and ended on November 16, 2008. BATE Borisov were the defending champions.

## Team changes from 2007 season

Due to league expansion from 14 to 16 teams the only relegated team Minsk, who finished last in 2007, was replaced by three best teams of 2007 First League: Savit Mogilev, Granit Mikashevichi and Lokomotiv Minsk.

## Overview

BATE Borisov won their 5th champions title and qualified for the next season's Champions League. The championship runners-up Dinamo Minsk, bronze medalists MTZ-RIPO Minsk and 2008–09 Cup winners Naftan Novopolotsk qualified for the inaugural tournament of Europa League. Due to decision to gradually reduce Premiere League to 12 clubs (14 in 2009, 12 in 2010) three lowest placed teams (Lokomotiv Minsk, Savit Mogilev and Darida Minsk Raion) relegated to the First League. The two latter teams disbanded prior to 2009 season.

## Teams and venues

| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity | Position in 2007 |
| BATE | Borisov | City Stadium (Borisov) | 5,392 | 1 |
| Gomel | Gomel | Central Stadium | 14,307 | 2 |
| Shakhtyor | Soligorsk | Stroitel Stadium | 4,200 | 3 |
| Torpedo | Zhodino | City Stadium (Borisov) | 5,392 | 4 |
| MTZ-RIPO | Minsk | Traktor Stadium | 17,600 | 5 |
| Neman | Grodno | Neman Stadium | 6,300 | 6 |
| Naftan | Novopolotsk | Atlant Stadium | 5,300 | 7 |
| Vitebsk | Vitebsk | Vitebsky CSK | 8,350 | 8 |
| Dinamo Minsk | Minsk | Dinamo Stadium | 40,000 | 9 |
| Smorgon | Smorgon | Yunost Stadium | 3,200 | 10 |
| Darida | Minsk Raion | Darida Stadium | 4,500 | 11 |
| Dinamo Brest | Brest | OSK Brestskiy | 10,080 | 12 |
| Dnepr | Mogilev | Torpedo Stadium (Mogilev) | 3,500 | 13 |
| Savit | Mogilev | Torpedo Stadium (Mogilev) | 3,500 | First league, 1 |
| Granit | Mikashevichi | OSK Brestskiy (Brest) | 10,080 | First league, 2 |
| Lokomotiv | Minsk | City Stadium (Molodechno) | 4,800 | First league, 3 |
* ^ Due to renovation works at Torpedo Stadium in Zhodino, Torpedo spent most of the season at City Stadium in Borisov. In addition, one game was played at City Stadium in Molodechno and two games at Spartak Stadium in Bobruisk.
* ^ One game played at Torpedo Stadium in Minsk.
* ^ Due to renovation works at Spartak Stadium in Mogilev, Dnepr spent the season at Torpedo Stadium in Mogilev.
* ^ Granit spent the season at OSK Brestskiy in Brest, as their own ground Polesye Stadium in Luninets was closed for renovation.
* ^ Lokomotiv Minsk spent the season at City Stadium in Molodechno, as their own ground Lokomotiv Stadium did not meet Premier League criteria.

## Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | BATE Borisov (C) | 30 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 54 | 20 | +34 | 67 | Qualification for Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Dinamo Minsk | 30 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 49 | 29 | +20 | 62 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | MTZ-RIPO Minsk | 30 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 65 | 37 | +28 | 57 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Shakhtyor Soligorsk | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 50 | 35 | +15 | 51 | |
| 5 | Vitebsk | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 39 | 26 | +13 | 51 | |
| 6 | Dinamo Brest | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 40 | 34 | +6 | 47 | |
| 7 | Naftan Novopolotsk | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 46 | Qualification for Europa League second qualifying round |
| 8 | Smorgon | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 26 | 39 | −13 | 39 | |
| 9 | Dnepr Mogilev | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 45 | 42 | +3 | 38 | |
| 10 | Granit Mikashevichi | 30 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 35 | 34 | +1 | 36 | |
| 11 | Gomel | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 35 | 47 | −12 | 33 | |
| 12 | Neman Grodno | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 36 | 40 | −4 | 33 | |
| 13 | Torpedo Zhodino | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 25 | 36 | −11 | 31 | |
| 14 | Lokomotiv Minsk (R) | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 28 | 50 | −22 | 25 | Relegation to Belarusian First League |
| 15 | Savit Mogilev (R) | 30 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 28 | 61 | −33 | 21 | Relegation to Belarusian First League |
| 16 | Darida Minsk Raion (R) | 30 | 4 | 7 | 19 | 25 | 56 | −31 | 19 | Relegation to Belarusian First League |
* ↑ Naftan Novopolotsk qualified for the Europa League second qualifying round by winning the 2008–09 Belarusian Cup.

## Results

| Home \ Away | BAT | DAR | DBR | DMI | DNE | GOM | GRA | LMN | MTZ | NAF | NEM | SAV | SHA | SMR | VIT | TZH |
| BATE Borisov | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Darida Minsk Raion | 0–2 | | 1–4 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 3–6 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Dinamo Brest | 1–3 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Dinamo Minsk | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–4 | | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Dnepr Mogilev | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Gomel | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–3 | | 2–4 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–6 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Granit Mikashevichi | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | | 0–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–4 | 0–0 |
| Lokomotiv Minsk | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | | 0–3 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 |
| MTZ-RIPO Minsk | 0–0 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 |
| Naftan Novopolotsk | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Neman Grodno | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Savit Mogilev | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 3–5 | | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 |
| Shakhtyor Soligorsk | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 3–4 | | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Smorgon | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–4 | | 0–3 | 0–0 |
| Vitebsk | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | | 0–0 |
| Torpedo Zhodino | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 6–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | |
* ↑ The match of Round 27 was awarded as a 3–0 win for Granit as Darida boycotted the game due to a conflict with BFF over bad refereeing.

## Belarusian clubs in European Cups

| Round | Team #1 | Agg. | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup ||||||
| First round | Cracovia | 1–5 | Shakhtyor Soligorsk | 1–2 | 0–3 |
| Second round | Sturm Graz | 2–0 | Shakhtyor Soligorsk | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| 2008–09 UEFA Cup ||||||
| First qualifying round | Legia Warszawa | 4–1 | Gomel | 0–0 | 4–1 |
| First qualifying round | MTZ-RIPO Minsk | 2–3 | Žilina | 2–2 | 0–1 |
| 2008–09 UEFA Champions League ||||||
| First qualifying round | BATE Borisov | 3–0 | Valur | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Second qualifying round | Anderlecht | 3–4 | BATE Borisov | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Thind qualifying round | Levski Sofia | 1–2 | BATE Borisov | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Group stage | Real Madrid | 3–0 | BATE Borisov | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Group stage | BATE Borisov | 2–2 | Juventus | 2–2 | 0–0 |
| Group stage | Zenit St. Petersburg | 3–1 | BATE Borisov | 1–1 | 2–0 |

## Top scorers

| Rank | Name | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Gennadi Bliznyuk | BATE Borisov | 16 |
| 1 | Vitali Rodionov | BATE Borisov | 16 |
| 3 | Artem Kontsevoy | MTZ-RIPO Minsk | 15 |
| 4 | Alyaksandr Hawrushka | Dnepr Mogilev | 14 |
| 5 | Dzmitry Mazalewski | Dinamo Brest | 13 |
| 5 | Ruslan Usaw | Vitebsk | 13 |
| 7 | Andrey Sherakow | Torpedo Zhodino | 12 |
| 8 | Oleg Strakhanovich | MTZ-RIPO Minsk | 11 |
| 8 | Andrey Tsevan | Dinamo Brest | 11 |
| 10 | Aleksandr Alumona | Neman Grodno | 10 |
| 10 | Dzmitry Kavalyonak | Neman Grodno | 10 |
| 10 | Róbert Rák | Dinamo Minsk | 10 |