# 2008–09 C.D. Motagua season

For the 2008–09 C.D. Motagua season, F.C. Motagua played in three competitions, the Apertura tournament, the Clausura, and they were also invited to the 2008 Copa Sudamericana.

## Apertura

The 2008–09 Apertura Motagua season was the fifty-third season of the Motagua professional football lifetime. Motagua were looking for the 12th championship. They also attended the 2008 Copa Sudamericana because of Deportivo Saprissa's withdrawal due to the match-day fixtures collide with CONCACAF Champions League's. For this season Motagua were full with families. Miguel Castillo and Fernando Castillo are brothers, Eleazar Padilla and Esdras Padilla are brothers, Rubén Antonio Rivera and José Carlos Rivera are brothers, Víctor Bernárdez, Jefferson Bernárdez and Oscar Bernárdez are cousins, Shannon Welcome and Georgie Welcome are cousins. Jaime de la Pava replaced Ramón Maradiaga after he left to coach Guatemala national football team. Edmilson da Silva Melo was cut off the team since he received an injury that would leave him out for the rest of the tournament. On 11 September Luis Rodas and Roy Posas were cut off the team due to indecent behavior under the influence of alcohol.

### Squad

* The players in bold have senior international caps.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | HON | Ricardo Canales |
| 2 | DF | HON | Steven Morris |
| 3 | DF | URU | Guillermo Díaz |
| 4 | DF | HON | Roy Posas |
| 5 | MF | HON | Reynaldo Tilguath (VC) |
| 6 | DF | HON | Óscar Bernárdez |
| 7 | FW | HON | Georgie Welcome |
| 8 | MF | HON | Miguel Castillo |
| 9 | FW | HON | Shannon Welcome |
| 10 | FW | BRA | Jocimar Nascimento |
| 11 | FW | URU | Óscar Torlacoff |
| 12 | MF | HON | José Burgos |
| 13 | MF | HON | Ronald Martínez |
| 14 | MF | HON | Luis Guzmán |
| 15 | MF | BRA | Nilberto da Silva |
| 17 | MF | HON | Fernando Castillo |
| 18 | MF | HON | Meller Sánchez |
| 19 | DF | HON | Emilson Cruz |
| 21 | DF | HON | Emilio Izaguirre |
| 22 | GK | HON | Donaldo Morales |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 23 | MF | HON | Daniel Facussé |
| 24 | DF | HON | Víctor Bernárdez (C) |
| 26 | DF | HON | David Molina |
| 27 | FW | HON | Jefferson Bernárdez |
| 28 | DF | HON | Samir García |
| 29 | FW | HON | José Rivera |
| 30 | MF | HON | Rubén Rivera |
| 31 | FW | HON | Luis Rodas |
| 32 | MF | HON | Jorge Claros (VC) |
| 33 | DF | HON | Esdras Padilla |
| 34 | DF | HON | Aarón Bardales |
| 35 | FW | HON | José Valladares |
| 36 | MF | HON | Kevin Osorio |
| 40 | MF | HON | Víctor Zúniga |
| 42 | MF | HON | Milton Palacios |
| 43 | FW | HON | Jairo Martínez |
| – | GK | HON | Levon Smith |
| – | DF | HON | Víctor Mena |
| – | DF | HON | Eleazar Padilla |
| – | DF | HON | Carlos Pineda |

#### Transfer in

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 3 | DF | URU | Guillermo Díaz (From Juventud de Las Piedras) |
| 5 | MF | HON | Reynaldo Tilguath (From Olimpia) |
| 7 | FW | HON | Georgie Welcome (From Arsenal) |
| 9 | FW | HON | Shannon Welcome (From Arsenal) |
| 12 | MF | HON | José Burgos (From Olimpia) |
| 15 | DF | BRA | Nilberto da Silva (From Marathón) |
| 18 | MF | HON | Meller Sánchez (From Motagua B) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | MF | HON | Emilson Cruz (From Motagua B) |
| 33 | DF | HON | Esdras Padilla (From Hispano) |
| – | GK | HON | Levon Smith (From Arsenal) |
| – | DF | HON | Víctor Mena (From Hispano) |
| – | DF | HON | Eleazar Padilla (From Hispano) |
| – | DF | HON | Carlos Pineda (From Motagua B) |

#### Transfer out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 3 | DF | COL | Santiago de Alba (To San Francisco) |
| 5 | DF | HON | Milton Reyes (Free agent) |
| 12 | MF | HON | Rubén Matamoros (To Hispano) |
| 15 | MF | HON | Walter López (To Platense) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | PAN | José Justavino (To Arabe Unido) |
| 19 | DF | HON | Osman Chávez (To Platense) |
| 32 | FW | HON | Luis Rodas (To Suchitepéquez) |

### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Real España | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 33 | 18 | +15 | 38 | Qualification to the Semifinals |
| 2 | Marathón | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 32 | Qualification to the Semifinals |
| 3 | Motagua | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 21 | +3 | 30 | Qualification to the Semifinals |
| 4 | Olimpia | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 17 | +2 | 29 | Qualification to the Semifinals |
| 5 | Deportes Savio | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 24 | 19 | +5 | 28 | |
* ↑ Real España +2 points.
* ↑ Deportes Savio −1 point.

### Matches
#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A |
| Result | W | W | D | D | D | W | L | W | L | L | W | W | L | W | W | W | L | L |

#### Semifinals

* Marathón 1–1 Motagua on aggregate; Motagua eliminated due to lower position in the Regular season.

## Clausura

The 2008-09 Clausura F.C. Motagua season was the fifty-fourth season of the Motagua professional football lifetime. Motagua were looking for the 12th league championship. After finishing in semifinals they were looking to become champions next year by signing big names such as Amado Guevara, Ramón Núñez, Marvin Sánchez, Banny Lozano, Javier Portillo, Leonardo Isaula, bringing back Osman Chavez and signing the internationals Mario Jardel, Guillermo Santo and Alberto Blanco. Also they will be losing important starting players, Victor Bernardez, Miguel Castillo and Fernando Castillo. The club's idol, Amado Guevara, joined on a loan because of MLS break. In order to sign more foreign players, Motagua wanted to naturalize Óscar Torlacoff and/or not enroll Nilberto da Silva because of his injury that leaves him off for half of the season.

### Squad

* The players in bold have senior international caps.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | HON | Ricardo Canales (VC) |
| 2 | DF | HON | Steven Morris |
| 3 | DF | URU | Guillermo Díaz |
| 4 | DF | HON | Johnny Leverón |
| 5 | MF | HON | Reynaldo Tilguath (VC) |
| 6 | DF | HON | Leonardo Isaula |
| 7 | FW | HON | Georgie Welcome |
| 8 | MF | HON | Miguel Castillo |
| 9 | FW | HON | Shannon Welcome |
| 10 | FW | BRA | Jocimar Nascimento |
| 11 | FW | URU | Óscar Torlacoff |
| 12 | MF | HON | José Burgos |
| 13 | MF | HON | Ronald Martínez |
| 14 | MF | HON | Luis Guzmán |
| 17 | MF | HON | Fernando Castillo |
| 18 | MF | HON | Meller Sánchez |
| 19 | DF | HON | Emilson Cruz |
| 20 | MF | HON | Amado Guevara (C) |
| 21 | DF | HON | Emilio Izaguirre |
| 22 | GK | HON | Donaldo Morales |
| 23 | MF | HON | Daniel Facussé |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 26 | DF | HON | David Molina |
| 27 | FW | HON | Jefferson Bernárdez |
| 29 | MF | ARG | Guillermo Santo |
| 30 | MF | HON | Rubén Rivera |
| 32 | MF | HON | Jorge Claros |
| 33 | DF | HON | Esdras Padilla |
| 34 | DF | HON | Aarón Bardales |
| 35 | FW | HON | José Valladares |
| 36 | MF | HON | Javier Portillo |
| 40 | MF | HON | Víctor Zúniga |
| 42 | MF | HON | Milton Palacios |
| 43 | FW | HON | Jairo Martínez |
| 44 | MF | HON | Marvin Sánchez |
| – | FW | HON | José Rivera |
| – | MF | HON | Kevin Osorio |
| – | GK | HON | Levon Smith |
| – | DF | HON | Víctor Mena |
| – | DF | HON | Eleazar Padilla |
| – | DF | HON | Carlos Pineda |
| – | DF | BRA | Nilberto da Silva |

#### Transfer in

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | DF | HON | Johnny Leverón (Free agent) |
| 6 | MF | HON | Leonardo Isaula (From Hispano) |
| 20 | MF | HON | Amado Guevara (From Toronto FC) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 29 | MF | ARG | Guillermo Santo (From Chacarita Juniors) |
| 36 | MF | HON | Javier Portillo (From Hispano) |
| 44 | MF | HON | Marvin Sánchez (From Platense) |

#### Transfer out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 6 | DF | HON | Óscar Bernárdez (To Vida) |
| 24 | DF | HON | Víctor Bernárdez (To Anderlecht) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 28 | DF | HON | Samir García (To Motagua B) |

### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 6 | Deportes Savio | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 21 | −4 | 20 |
| 7 | Real Juventud | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 19 |
| 8 | Motagua | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 21 | −8 | 19 |
| 9 | Platense | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 20 | 26 | −6 | 18 |
| 10 | Hispano | 17 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 37 | −19 | 11 |
* 1 2 The match between Platense and Hispano from Round 18 was not played due to lack of interest.

### Matches
#### Regular season
## 2008 Copa Sudamericana

In June 2008 CONMEBOL announced the participation of F.C. Motagua in the 2008 Copa Sudamericana as invitee. At that time Motagua was the Central American team with the best performance achieved at the 2008 CONCACAF Champions' Cup and were not taking part in the next season.

### Matches
#### First round

* Motagua 1–6 Arsenal on aggregate.