The 2017–18 Botola, also known as Botola Maroc Telecom for sponsorship reasons, is the 61st season of the Premier League and the 7th under its new format of Moroccan Pro League, the top Moroccan professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1956. The season started on 8 September 2017 and ended on 21 May 2018.
Wydad Athletic Club came into the season as defending champions of the 2016–17 season. Rapide Oued Zem and Racing de Casablanca entered as the two promoted teams from the 2016–17 GNF 2.
On May 12, 2018, IR Tanger won the Botola Pro after a 2-1 victory against Moghreb Tétouan. The IR Tanger club won the championship for the first time after being runner-up to the title in 1989-90 season.
Teams Stadium and locations
Team AcronymLocation Stadium Capacity Association sportive des FAR AS FAR Rabat Stade Moulay Abdellah 52,000 Chabab Atlas Khénifra CAK Khenifra Stade Municipal 5,000 Chabab Rif Al Hoceima CRA Al Hoceima Stade Mimoun Al Arsi 12,000 Difaâ El Jadidi DHJ El Jadida Stade El Abdi 15,000 Fath Union Sport FUS Rabat Stade de FUS 15,000 Hassania Agadir HUSA Agadir Stade Adrar 45,480 IR Tanger IRT Tangier Grand Stade de Tanger 45,000 Kawkab Marrakech KACM Marrakesh Stade de Marrakech 45,240 Moghreb Tétouan MAT Tétouan Saniat Rmel 15,000 Olympic Safi OCS Safi Stade El Massira 10,000 Olympique Khouribga OCK Khouribga Complexe OCP 10,000 Racing de Casablanca RAC Casablanca Stade Père-Jégo 10,000 Raja Casablanca RCA Casablanca Stade Mohamed V 67,000 Rapide Oued Zem RCOZ Oued Zem Stade Municipal 3,000 RSB Berkane RSB Berkane Stade Municipal 15,000 Wydad Casablanca WAC Casablanca Stade Mohamed V 67,000
Personnel and kits
+TeamsManagersKit manufacturerShirt sponsorAssociation sportive des FAR Abderrazak KhairiUhlsportChabab Atlas Khénifra Kamal ZouaghiBang SportsChabab Rif Al Hoceima Nacer SandjakBang SportsAl Omrane, CGIDifaâ El Jadidi Abderrahim TalibBang Sportsinnjoo, Radio Mars, TGCCFUS Rabat Walid RegraguiUhlsportEmaar, Novec, LafargeHolcimHassania Agadir Miguel Ángel GamondiUhlsportAfriquia, Skoda, Souss-Massa, JolyIR Tanger Driss El MrabetBang SportsRenault, APM Terminals, Tanger-Med, Moroccan Airports Authority, Valencia, RCI Finance MarocKawkab Marrakesh Faouzi JamalPumaPoste Maroc, Sanad, CitySport, Menara MallMoghreb Tétouan Abdelouahed BenhsainKing Sports MarocHalib Tetaouen, Radio MarsOC Khouribga Bernard SimondiBang SportsOlympic Safi Mohamed Amine BenhachemUhlsportFitcoRacing de Casablanca Youssef RossiRaja Casablanca Juan Carlos GarridoLegeaSiera, Nor'Dar, Prodec, Infinix, Hyundai, Or Blanc, MarsaMaroc, Atlanta AssurancesRapide Oued Zem Tarek MostafaBang SportsBoudrika HoldingRSB Berkane Mounir JaouaniBang SportsSouiri, AfriquiaWydad Casablanca Faouzi BenzartiMacronIngelec, Alitkane, Koutoubia 1. On the back of shirt. 2. On the sleeves. 3. On the shorts. Maroc Telecom is a sponsor for all the league's teams. Additionally, referee kits are made by Adidas.
Managerial changes +TeamsOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointmentRacing de Casablanca Abdelhak RizkallahRetired20 May 2017 Youssef Rossi14 Juin 2017IR Tanger Bachir BouitaEnd of contract25 May 2017 Ezzaki Badou20 May 2017Hassania Agadir Francisco Javier BernalEnd of contract26 May 2017 Miguel Ángel Gamondi4 June 2017Raja Casablanca Mohamed FakhirResigned26 May 2017 Abdelhak Benchikha7 June 2017Chabab Rif Al Hoceima Youssef FertoutEnd of contract26 May 2017 Juan Pedro Benali11 July 2017Moghreb Tétouan Amin Erbati (interim)End of tenure as caretaker28 May 2017 Fouad Sahabi3 June 2017Raja Casablanca Abdelhak BenchikhaResigned16 June 2017 Juan Carlos Garrido20 June 2017Moghreb Tétouan Fouad SahabiResigned30 August 2017 Abdelhak Benchikha5 September 2017OC Khouribga Azzedine Aït DjoudiSacked3 October 2017 Bernard Simondi14 October 2017Moghreb Tétouan Abdelhak BenchikhaResigned19 November 2017 Youssef Fertout19 November 2017IR Tanger Ezzaki BadouSacked21 November 2017 Driss El Mrabet21 November 2017RSB Berkane Rachid TaoussiSacked27 November 2017 Mounir Aljawani27 November 2017Chabab Atlas Khénifra Samir YaichContract termination3 December 2017 Kamal Zouaghi26 December 2017AS FAR Aziz El AmriSacked11 December 2017 Abderrazak Khairi13 December 2017Wydad Casablanca Hussein AmottaSacked9 January 2018 Faouzi Benzarti19 January 2018Chabab Rif Al Hoceima Juan Pedro BenaliContract termination31 January 2018 Nacer Sandjak1 February 2018Rapide Oued Zem Mohamed BackarySacked20 February 2018 Fouad Sahabi21 February 2018Moghreb Tétouan Youssef FertoutSacked27 February 2018 Abdelouahed Benhsain21 February 2018Rapide Oued Zem Fouad SahabiRefused by the Federation20 February 2018 Tarek Mostafa20 March 2018Kawkab Marrakesh Youssef MerianaSacked29 April 2018 Faouzi Jamal29 April 2018
League table
Standings
Results
Season statistics
Top goalscorers
fifa.com goalzz.com
Rank Player Club Goals1 Mouhssine IajourRaja CA172 Mehdi Naghmi IR Tanger133 Ayoub El KaabiRS Berkane124 Simon MsuvaDH Jadidi115 Zouhair El MoutarajiOC Khouribga10 Jalal DaoudiHUS Agadir7 Ibrahim BezghoudiAS FAR9 Mohamed NahiriWydad AC Bilal El MegriDH Jadidi Hamid AhaddadDH Jadidi
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Round Hamid AhaddadDH JadidiOC Khouribga4–1 (H)3 December 201710 Mouhssine IajourRaja CAOC Khouribga4–3 (H)14 February 201816 Hamza GoudaliOC SafiAS FAR4–3 (A)14 April 201825 (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Annual awards The UMFP (Union Marocaine des Footballeurs Professionnels), in partnership with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, organized the Night of Stars Award in its 4th edition, which celebrated the brilliants of the Botola Pro for the 2017/18 season.
Award Winner Club Manager of the Season Driss El Mrabet IR Tanger Player of the Season Ahmed Hammoudan IR Tanger Promising Player of the Season Mahmoud Benhalib Raja CA Goalkeeper of the Season Abderrahman El Houasli HUS Agadir Referee of the Season Redouane Achik Club of the Season IR Tanger
Attendances
See also 2017 Coupe du Trône 2017–18 Botola 2 2018 CAF Champions League 2018 CAF Confederation Cup
References
External links Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football