The 2008âÂÂ09 La Liga season (known as the Liga BBVA for sponsorship reasons) was the 78th since its establishment. Real Madrid were the defending champions, having won their 31st La Liga title in the previous season. The campaign began on 30 August 2008, and concluded on 31 May 2009. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2007âÂÂ08 season, and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División. A new match ball â the Nike T90 Omni â served as the official ball for all matches.
On 16 May 2009, following Villarreal's 3âÂÂ2 victory over Real Madrid, Barcelona were declared champions, winning their 19th La Liga title, with three matches to play. Barcelona's Lionel Messi received the inaugural La Liga Award for Best Player from the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional.
Real Zaragoza, Real Murcia and Levante were relegated to the 2008âÂÂ09 Segunda División after finishing in the bottom three spots of the table at the end of the 2007âÂÂ08 La Liga. Zaragoza were relegated to the Segunda División after five seasons of continuous membership in the top football league of Spain; Levante returned in Segunda División after two-year tenured in La Liga; and Murcia made their immediate return to the second level.
The three relegated teams were replaced by three 2007âÂÂ08 Segunda División sides. Champions Numancia, who ended their second-level status after three years, runners-up Málaga, who returned to the top flight after two season in the second level, and Sporting de Gijón returned to the highest Spanish league after ten years.
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For the first time in La Liga's history, its governing body, the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional, honoured the competition's best players and coach with the La Liga Awards.
The Pichichi Trophy is awarded to the player who scores the most goals in a season.
<small>Source: Yahoo! Sport</small>
The Ricardo Zamora Trophy is awarded by newspaper Marca to the goalkeeper with the lowest ratio of goals conceded to matches played. A goalkeeper had to play at least 28 matches of 60 or more minutes to be eligible for the trophy.
<small>Source: LFP</small>
<sup>4</sup> <small>Player scored four goals</small><small>(H) - Home; (A) - Away</small>
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