2009 Chinese Super League

The 2009 Chinese Super League season was the sixth season since the establishment of the Chinese Super League, the sixteenth season of a professional football league and the 48th top-tier league season in China. Beijing Guoan won their first ever Chinese Super League title.

The events during the 2008 season saw Liaoning Hongyun relegated and Wuhan Optics Valley withdrawn. They were replaced by the promoted teams Jiangsu Sainty and Chongqing Lifan. Zhejiang Greentown which is located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang were renamed to Hangzhou Greentown.

Each team is allowed to register a maximum of five foreign players and field four of them in starting line-up this season, one of whom must be from an AFC country.

The league title sponsor is Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli. A three-year deal was announced on March 20, 2009. Nike have renewed sponsorship deal with Super League before season starts. CCTV, SMG and Sina became league partners and will broadcast live matches on TV and online across the country.

Clubs

P – Promoted, TH – Title Holders

Personnel

Managerial changes

Foreign players

The number of foreign players is restricted to five per CSL team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team can use four foreign players on the field in each game, including at least one player from the AFC country. Players from Hong Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei are deemed to be native players in CSL.

Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
Players in italics were out of the squad or left the club within the season, after the pre-season transfer window, or in the mid-season transfer window, and at least had one appearance.

H1N1 flu pandemic

Chongqing Lifan reported an 8-player and 3-crew infection of H1N1 flu virus on 10 September. Its matches in Round 22, 23 and 24 were postponed by Chinese FA.

League table

Positions by round

Results

Top scorers

Updated to games played on 31 Oct 2009.

Hattricks

Xu Liang of Guangzhou GPC scored the first hat-trick of the season against Dalian Shide at Yuexiushan Stadium on 6 April 2009.
Qu Bo of Qingdao Jonoon scored a hat-trick against Chongqing Lifan at Qingdao Tiantai Stadium on 8 August 2009.
Hernán Barcos of Shenzhen Asia Travel scored a hat-trick against Changchun Yatai at Shenzhen Stadium on 12 September 2009.
Emil Martínez of Beijing Guoan scored a hat-trick against Hangzhou Greentown at Workers' Stadium on 31 October 2009.

Awards

Chinese Football Association Footballer of the Year: Samuel Caballero (Changchun Yatai)
Chinese Super League Golden Boot Winner: Hernán Barcos (Shanghai Shenhua & Shenzhen Asia Travel) & Luis Ramírez (Guangzhou GPC)
Chinese Football Association Young Player of the Year: Deng Zhuoxiang (Jiangsu Sainty)
Chinese Football Association Manager of the Year: Tang Yaodong (Henan Construction)
Chinese Football Association Referee of the Year: Sun Baojie