2008–09 Standard Liège season
2008–09 season | |||
Manager | László Bölöni | ||
---|---|---|---|
First Division | 1st | ||
Champions League | Final Qualifying Round | ||
Belgian Cup | Round of 32 | ||
UEFA Cup | Round of 32 | ||
Top goalscorer | Dieumerci Mbokani (16) | ||
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Standard Liège won their tenth ever league title, thanks to a playoff victory against Anderlecht, having finished on the same point as them, with the same number of games won. Following 1-1 away from home in Brussels, Standard won 1-0 at home thanks to a penalty scored by Axel Witsel.
The season also saw the club nearly qualifying for the Champions League, following two 0-0 draws against Liverpool. In the extra time, however, Dirk Kuyt scored a decisive late goal. In the UEFA Cup, where Standard dropped down to, they beat Everton in the qualifying phase, which caused Everton to pay £15 million for playmaker Marouane Fellaini, the highest ever fee paid for a Belgian player. In the UEFA Cup proper, Standard reached the Round of 32, where they were knocked out of the competition by Braga of Portugal.
Squad
Goalkeepers
Defenders
- Thomas Phibel
- Alexandre Jansen Da Silva
- Mohamed Sarr
- Digão
- Oguchi Onyewu
- Tomislav Mikulić
- Marcos Camozzato
- Landry Mulemo
- Marco Ingrao
- Eliaquim Mangala
Midfielders
- Réginal Goreux
- Wilfried Dalmat
- Jonathan Walasiak
- Axel Witsel
- Steven Defour (C)
- Salim Tuama
- Benjamin Nicaise
- Marouane Fellaini
- Mehdi Carcela