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]

Meistriliiga
Season2023
ChampionsFlora
RelegatedHarju
Champions LeagueFlora
Conference LeagueFCI Levadia
Tallinna Kalev
Matches played120
Goals scored296 (2.47 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
All statistics correct as of 30 September 2023.

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 2023–24 Estonian Cup winners (or fourth-placed team if the Estonian Cup winners finish in the top three of the Meistriliiga) qualify 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 edit

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 edit

Promoted from
2022 Esiliiga
Relegated to
2023 Esiliiga
Harju Legion

Stadiums and locations edit

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 edit

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

Managerial changes edit

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

League table edit

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 (FCI Levadia, Nõmme Kalju, Paide Linnameeskond or Viimsi of the 2023 Esiliiga) also qualify for the Conference League first qualifying round. If FCI Levadia win the Estonian Cup, the Conference League spot will be passed to the fourth-placed team of the Meistriliiga (Paide Linnameeskond).
  2. ^ a b Head-to-head points: Tallinna Kalev 8, Paide Linnameeskond 2.


Results edit

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 edit

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 edit

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

Second leg edit

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

Season statistics edit

Top scorers edit

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

Hat-tricks edit

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

Awards edit

Monthly awards edit

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

Annual awards edit

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

References edit

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  2. ^ "Premium liiga võtab kasutusele VAR-i". ERR. 2022-10-03.
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  9. ^ "Kadrioru Staadion - ESR". www.spordiregister.ee. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
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  13. ^ "FC Flora esindusmeeskonna uus peasponsor on Optibet". fcflora.ee. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
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