2014–15 Qatar Stars League
# 2014–15 Qatar Stars League

The 2014–15 Qatari League, also known as Qatari Stars League, was the 42nd edition of top-level football championship in Qatar. The season started on 21 August 2014. Lekhwiya, the defending champions, won their fourth league title with one matchday remaining by winning against Al-Ahli on 12 April 2015.

## Teams

Al Shamal were promoted as champions from the 2nd Division. They last played in the top flight in 2009–10. They are joined by 2nd Division runners up Al-Shahania who enter the top flight for the first time in their history. Relegated were Al Mu'aidar who lasted one season in the top flight and former power-house outfit Al Rayyan.

### Stadia and locations

| Club | City/Town | Stadium | Capacity | Coach |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Al-Ahli | Doha | Grand Hamad Stadium | 13,000 | Zlatko Kranjčar |
| Al-Arabi | Doha | Al-Arabi SC Stadium | 13,000 | Daniel Carreño |
| Al-Gharafa | Al Gharafa | Al-Gharafa Stadium | 25,000 | Habib Al Sadiq |
| Al-Kharitiyath | Al Khor | Al-Khor SC Stadium | 13,000 | Amar Osim |
| Al-Khor | Al Khor | Al-Khor SC Stadium | 13,000 | László Bölöni |
| Al-Sadd | Doha | Al-Sadd SC Stadium | 14,000 | Hussein Amotta |
| Al-Sailiya | Doha | Al-Sadd SC Stadium | 14,000 | Sami Trabelsi |
| Al-Shahania | Al Gharafa | Al-Gharafa Stadium | 25,000 | Luka Bonačić |
| Al-Shamal | Madinat ash Shamal | Al-Shamal Stadium | 5,000 | Dragan Cvetković |
| Al-Wakrah | Al Wakrah | Al-Wakrah Stadium | 12,000 | Goran Tufegdžić |
| El Jaish | Doha | Lekhwiya SC Stadium | 15,000 | Sabri Lamouchi |
| Lekhwiya | Doha | Lekhwiya SC Stadium | 15,000 | Michael Laudrup |
| Qatar SC | Doha | Qatar SC Stadium | 13,000 | Radhi Shenaishil |
| Umm-Salal | Umm Salal | Qatar SC Stadium | 13,000 | Bülent Uygun |

### Kit manufacturer and sponsors

| Teams | Kit manufacturer | Sponsors |
| - | - | - |
| Al-Ahli | Jako | Regency Group |
| Al-Arabi | Adidas | |
| Al-Gharafa | Burrda Sport | |
| Al-Kharitiyath | Burrda Sport | ORYX GTL |
| Al-Khor | Adidas | Al Sultan Beach Resort |
| Al-Sadd | Burrda Sport | Vodafone |
| Al-Sailiya | Adidas | QIB |
| Al-Shahania | Macron | |
| Al-Shamal | Hummel | |
| Al-Wakrah | Jako | Alijarah Holding |
| El Jaish | Nike | NAPT |
| Lekhwiya | Burrda Sport | Masraf Al Rayan |
| Qatar SC | Hummel | QNB |
| Umm-Salal | Nike | MSC Qatar |

### Stadium changes

* El Jaish have moved out of the Qatar SC Stadium to join Lekhwiya at the Lekhwiya SC Stadium.
* Al-Ahli have moved out of the Al-Ahli SC Stadium to join Al-Arabi at the Al-Arabi SC Stadium.
* Al-Sailiya have moved out of the Al-Rayyan SC Stadium to join Al-Sadd at the Al-Sadd SC Stadium.
* Umm Salal have moved out of the Al-Arabi SC Stadium to join Qatar SC at the Qatar SC Stadium.

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Al Arabi | Paulo César | Mutual contest | 11 April 2014 | Pre-season | Dan Petrescu | 11 April 2014 |
| Al Gharrafa | Diego Aguirre | Resigned | 5 June 2014 | Pre-season | Marcos Paquetá | 7 June 2014 |
| Qatar SC | Sebastiao Lazaroni | Mutual contest | 1 July 2014 | Pre-season | Ivan Hašek | 1 July 2014 |
| Lekhwiya | Eric Gerets | Mutual contest | 1 July 2014 | Pre-season | Michael Laudrup | 1 July 2014 |
| Qatar SC | Ivan Hašek | Sacked | 11 September 2014 | 9th | Radhi Shenaishil | 11 September 2014 |
| Al-Shahania | Miguel Lotina | Resigned | 22 September 2014 | 13th | Luka Bonačić | 21 November 2014 |
| Al-Wakrah | Maher Kanzari | Sacked | 28 October 2014 | 12th | Noureddine Zekri | 28 October 2014 |
| Al-Arabi | Dan Petrescu | Sacked | 1 December 2014 | 8th | Daniel Carreño | 1 December 2014 |
| El Jaish | Nabil Maâloul | Signed by Kuwait | 13 December 2014 | 4th | Sabri Lamouchi | 27 December 2014 |
| Al Kharaitiyat | Bertrand Marchand | Sacked | 15 December 2014 | 12th | Amar Osim | 27 December 2014 |
| Al Ahli | Milan Máčala | Sacked | 7 February 2015 | 7th | Zlatko Kranjčar | 7 February 2015 |
| Al-Wakrah | Noureddine Zekri | Sacked | 20 February 2015 | 12th | Goran Tufegdžić | 23 February 2015 |
| Al-Shamal | Silvio Diliberto | Sacked | | 14th | Dragan Cvetković | |
| Al-Gharafa | Marcos Paquetá | Sacked | | 7th | Habib Al Sadiq | 15 April 2015 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Lekhwiya (C) | 26 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 59 | 25 | +34 | 62 | 2016 AFC Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Al Sadd | 26 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 68 | 35 | +33 | 57 | 2016 AFC Champions League 2nd qualifying round |
| 3 | El Jaish | 26 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 54 | 33 | +21 | 47 | 2016 AFC Champions League 2nd qualifying round |
| 4 | Qatar SC | 26 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 51 | 40 | +11 | 46 | |
| 5 | Al Ahli | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 40 | +8 | 38 | 2016 GCC Champions League |
| 6 | Umm Salal | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 37 | |
| 7 | Al-Gharafa | 26 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 48 | 54 | −6 | 36 | |
| 8 | Al-Arabi | 26 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 43 | 38 | +5 | 35 | 2016 GCC Champions League |
| 9 | Al Kharaitiyat | 26 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 37 | 38 | −1 | 34 | |
| 10 | Al-Khor | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 30 | |
| 11 | Al Sailiya | 26 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 40 | 54 | −14 | 29 | |
| 12 | Al-Wakrah | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 34 | 52 | −18 | 23 | |
| 13 | Al-Shahania (R) | 26 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 26 | 57 | −31 | 20 | Relegation to 2015–16 Qatari 2nd Division |
| 14 | Al Shamal (R) | 26 | 1 | 8 | 17 | 24 | 62 | −38 | 11 | Relegation to 2015–16 Qatari 2nd Division |

* ↑ Since Al-Sadd, winners of 2015 Emir of Qatar Cup, was already qualified for the 2016 AFC Champions League via QSL, third-placed El Jaish earned a spot in the same tournament.

## Season statistics

    As of 16 April 2015

### Top scorers

| Position | Player | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Dioko Kaluyituka | Al-Ahli | 25 |
| 2 | Hamdi Harbaoui | Qatar SC | 21 |
| 3 | Romarinho | El Jaish | 16 |
| 3 | Hassan Abdel-Fattah | Al Kharaitiyat | 16 |
| 3 | Júlio Cesar | Al-Khor | 16 |
| 6 | Issam Jemâa | Al-Sailiya | 11 |
| 6 | Khalfan Ibrahim | Al Sadd | 11 |
| 6 | Hassan Al-Haydos | Al Sadd | 11 |
| 6 | Meshal Abdullah | Al-Ahli | 11 |
| 6 | Sebastián Soria | Lekhwiya | 11 |
| 6 | Sebastián Sáez | Al-Wakrah | 11 |
| 6 | Paulinho | Al Arabi | 11 |
| 6 | Tuncay Şanlı | Umm Salal | 11 |

### Top assists

| Position | Player | Club | Assists |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Nam Tae-hee | Lekhwiya | 12 |
| 2 | Rodrigo Tabata | Al Sadd | 7 |
| 3 | Mojtaba Jabbari | Al-Ahli | 5 |
| 4 | Ashkan Dejagah | Al-Arabi | 4 |

## Awards

### Monthly awards

| Month | Manager of the Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Player of the Month | Reference |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Month | Manager | Club | Player | Club | Reference |
| August | Michael Laudrup | Lekhwiya | Mojtaba Jabbari | Al Ahli | |
| September | Radhi Shenaishil | Qatar SC | Hamdi Harbaoui | Qatar SC | |
| October | Hussein Amotta | Al Sadd | Rodrigo Tabata | Al Sadd | |
| November | Bülent Uygun | Umm Salal | Alain Dioko | Al Ahli | |
| December | Michael Laudrup | Lekhwiya | Hassan Al Haidos | Al Sadd | |
| February | Amar Osim | Al Kharaitiyat | Hassan Abdel-Fattah | Al Kharaitiyat | |
