2023 Meistriliiga

Meistriliiga
Season2023
ChampionsFlora
RelegatedHarju
Champions LeagueFlora
Conference LeagueFCI Levadia
Paide Linnameeskond
Tallinna Kalev
Matches played180
Goals scored458 (2.54 per match)
Biggest home winFlora 5–0 Narva Trans
(14 March 2023)
FCI Levadia 6–1 Harju
(15 April 2023)
Biggest away winVaprus 1–5 Flora
(10 June 2023)
Narva Trans 0–4 Vaprus
(8 July 2023)
Kuressaare 0–4 Paide Linnameeskond
(23 July 2023)
Highest scoringPaide Linnameeskond 6–3 Tammeka
(19 August 2023)
Longest winning run7 matches
Flora
Longest unbeaten run12 matches
Flora
Longest winless run10 matches
Harju
Longest losing run8 matches
Harju
Highest attendance3,510
FCI Levadia 0–0 Flora
(28 June 2023)
Lowest attendance101
FCI Levadia 3–0 Tammeka
(15 March 2023)
← 2022
2024 →

The 2023 Meistriliiga, also known as A. Le Coq Premium Liiga due to sponsorship reasons,[1] was the 33rd season of the Meistriliiga, the top Estonian league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1992. It was the first Meistriliiga season with video assistant referee (VAR).[2]

The winners (Flora, their second consecutive title and fifteenth overall) qualified for the 2024–25 Champions League first qualifying round. The runners-up (FCI Levadia), third-placed team (Tallinna Kalev), and fourth-placed team (Paide Linnameeskond) qualified for the 2024–25 Conference League first qualifying round. The ninth-placed team (Tammeka) qualified for the Meistriliiga play-off, winning to retain their place in the league. The bottom-placed team (Harju) were relegated to the 2024 Esiliiga.

Teams

The league consisted of ten teams; the top nine teams of the previous season, and one team promoted from the Esiliiga. Flora entered the season as defending champions.

Team changes

Promoted from
2022 Esiliiga 		Relegated to
2023 Esiliiga
Harju Legion

Stadiums and locations

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2023 Meistriliiga teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity
FCI Levadia Tallinn A. Le Coq Arena 14,336[3]
Flora
Harju Laagri Laagri Stadium 40[4]
Kuressaare Kuressaare Kuressaare linnastaadion 1,000[5]
Narva Trans Narva Narva Kreenholm Stadium 1,065[6]
Nõmme Kalju Tallinn TNTK Stadium 800[7]
Paide Linnameeskond Paide Paide linnastaadion 500[8]
Tallinna Kalev Tallinn Kadriorg Stadium 5,000[9]
Tammeka Tartu Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,500[10]
Vaprus Pärnu Pärnu Rannastaadion 1,501[11]

Personnel and kits

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
FCI Levadia Spain Curro Torres Estonia Rasmus Peetson Macron[12] Admirals, Viimsi Keevitus
Flora Estonia Jürgen Henn Estonia Konstantin Vassiljev Nike Optibet[13]
Harju Portugal Victor Silva Estonia Andre Järva Adidas Enemat
Kuressaare Ukraine Roman Kozhukhovskyi Estonia Märten Pajunurm Nike Visit Saaremaa
Narva Trans Russia Aleksei Eremenko Ivory Coast Elysée Nike Sportland
Nõmme Kalju Russia Nikita Andreev France Yohan Mannone Adidas Marsbet[14]
Paide Linnameeskond Serbia Ivan Stojković Estonia Andre Frolov Nike Exmet, Verston
Tallinna Kalev Estonia Aivar Anniste
Estonia Daniel Meijel 		Estonia Marek Kaljumäe Macron Unibet[15]
Tammeka Estonia Marti Pähn Estonia Taijo Teniste Nike Giga Ehitus
Vaprus Estonia Igor Prins Estonia Magnus Villota Nike Coolbet

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in the table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Vaprus Latvia Dmitrijs Kalašņikovs[16] End of contract 12 November 2022 Pre-season Estonia Igor Prins[17] 14 November 2022
FCI Levadia Russia Nikita Andreev End of interim spell 1 December 2022 Spain Curro Torres[18] 1 December 2022
Narva Trans Russia Aleksei Yagudin 31 December 2022 Estonia Sergei Terehhov[19] 31 December 2022
Nõmme Kalju Estonia Kaido Koppel[20] Contract terminated 28 April 2023 4th Russia Nikita Andreev 28 April 2023
Paide Linnameeskond Estonia Karel Voolaid[21] 25 May 2023 7th Estonia Ats Sillaste (interim)[22] 27 May 2023
Estonia Ats Sillaste End of interim spell 30 May 2023 Serbia Ivan Stojković[23] 30 May 2023
Narva Trans Estonia Sergei Terehhov[24] Contract terminated 8 August 2023 8th Estonia Valeri Bondarenko (interim) 11 August 2023
Estonia Valeri Bondarenko End of interim spell 20 August 2023 Russia Aleksei Eremenko[25] 20 August 2023

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Flora (C) 36 23 10 3 74 24 +50 79 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 FCI Levadia 36 22 11 3 67 24 +43 77 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round[a]
3 Tallinna Kalev 36 14 11 11 49 41 +8 53[b]
4 Paide Linnameeskond 36 13 14 9 50 34 +16 53[b]
5 Nõmme Kalju 36 12 13 11 50 42 +8 49
6 Vaprus 36 12 12 12 40 43 −3 48
7 Kuressaare 36 12 7 17 36 60 −24 43
8 Narva Trans 36 12 2 22 32 64 −32 38
9 Tammeka (O) 36 5 12 19 33 65 −32 27 Qualification for the Meistriliiga play-off
10 Harju (R) 36 5 8 23 27 61 −34 23 Relegation to the Esiliiga
Source: Premium Liiga, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Less matches awarded against; 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Matches won; 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored; 8) Away goals scored; 9) Fair-play points; 10) Draw[26]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ The 2023–24 Estonian Cup winners also qualified for the Conference League first qualifying round. Since the cup winners (FCI Levadia) qualified based on league position, the Conference League spot was passed to the fourth-placed team.
  2. ^ a b Head-to-head points: Tallinna Kalev 8, Paide Linnameeskond 2.


Results

Home \ Away LEV FLO HAR KUR NAR NÕM PLM KAL TAM VAP LEV FLO HAR KUR NAR NÕM PLM KAL TAM VAP
FCI Levadia — 0–0 6–1 4–1 3–0 2–1 2–0 2–1 3–0 0–0 — 2–1 1–1 4–0 3–0 3–0 1–0 1–1 2–1 0–0
Flora 0–2 — 4–0 4–0 5–0 3–1 0–0 3–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 — 2–0 3–0 1–4 0–0 2–1 1–0 3–0 1–1
Harju 2–1 0–1 — 1–1 1–2 1–2 0–1 0–2 2–3 1–2 0–1 2–3 — 1–1 0–2 1–0 0–1 0–2 3–0 0–4
Kuressaare 0–2 1–4 1–1 — 3–0 2–0 1–4 1–2 3–1 1–2 2–1 0–3 1–1 — 1–0 0–2 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–0
Narva Trans 0–2 0–1 2–0 0–1 — 0–2 0–0 2–1 2–0 0–2 0–1 1–3 1–3 2–0 — 2–1 1–3 2–1 2–0 0–4
Nõmme Kalju 0–1 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–0 — 1–1 1–2 1–2 1–0 4–3 0–0 1–0 4–1 4–0 — 3–3 1–2 4–1 1–1
Paide Linnameeskond 1–1 1–3 1–0 0–1 2–1 0–0 — 0–1 0–0 0–1 2–2 0–0 4–0 1–0 1–2 2–0 — 1–1 6–3 3–0
Tallinna Kalev 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–3 0–1 0–0 1–1 — 1–1 1–1 1–2 1–1 2–1 1–3 5–0 1–1 2–1 — 1–1 1–0
Tammeka 2–2 0–3 2–0 0–0 1–1 0–2 0–0 1–2 — 2–3 0–0 1–2 2–1 0–1 3–0 1–1 1–2 2–7 — 0–0
Vaprus 0–0 1–5 0–1 1–2 1–0 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–0 — 0–3 0–1 0–0 3–1 3–2 3–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 —
Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Meistriliiga play-off

The ninth-placed club (Tammeka) faced the second-placed club from the 2023 Esiliiga (Viimsi) for the final place in the following season's Meistriliiga.

First leg

29 November 2023 Viimsi 0–5 Tammeka Tallinn
16:00 BST
Stadium: Sportland Arena

Second leg

3 December 2023 Tammeka 1–1
(6–1 agg.)		ViimsiTartu
10:30 BST
Stadium: Tartu Tamme Stadium

Season statistics

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals[27]
1 Estonia Tristan Koskor Narva Trans 16
2 Estonia Konstantin Vassiljev Flora 14
3 Cameroon Mollo FCI Levadia 13
4 Estonia Sergei Zenjov Flora 12
5 Ghana Ernest Agyiri FCI Levadia 11
6 Estonia Kevin Mätas Tammeka 10
Estonia Tristan Toomas Teeväli Tallinna Kalev
8 Estonia Sten Reinkort Flora/Kuressaare 9
9 Mali Bourama Fomba FCI Levadia 8
Estonia Kevin Kauber Vaprus
Estonia Mattias Männilaan Kuressaare
The Gambia Foday Trawally Tallinna Kalev

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date
Ghana Ernest Agyiri FCI Levadia Nõmme Kalju 3–0 (H)[28] 9 July 2023
Estonia Herol Riiberg Paide Linnameeskond Tammeka 6–3 (H)[29] 19 August 2023

Awards

Monthly awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
March[30] Estonia Igor Prins Vaprus Estonia Uku Kõrre Vaprus
April[31] Spain Curro Torres FCI Levadia Ghana Ernest Agyiri FCI Levadia
May[32] Estonia Jürgen Henn Flora Estonia Sergei Zenjov Flora
June/July[33] Spain Curro Torres FCI Levadia The Gambia Ebrima Jarju Paide Linnameeskond
August[34] Russia Nikita Andreev Nõmme Kalju Trinidad and Tobago Andre Fortune II Nõmme Kalju
September[35] Portugal Victor Silva Harju Cameroon Mollo FCI Levadia
October[36] Estonia Aivar Anniste
Estonia Daniel Meijel 		Tallinna Kalev Estonia Konstantin Vassiljev Flora

Annual awards

Award Winner Club
Player of the Season[37] Estonia Konstantin Vassiljev Flora
Goalkeeper of the Season Estonia Karl Andre Vallner FCI Levadia
Defender of the Season Mali Bourama Fomba
Midfielder of the Season Estonia Konstantin Vassiljev Flora
Forward of the Season Cameroon Mollo FCI Levadia
Under-21 Player of the Season
Manager of the Season[38] Estonia Aivar Anniste
Estonia Daniel Meijel 		Tallinna Kalev
Goal of the Season[39] Estonia Mark Maksimkin Narva Trans

References

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