Season 2016 Champions League Žalgiris Champion FK Žalgiris Matches played 129 | Champions Žalgiris Dates 2 Mar 2016 – 26 Nov 2016 Goals scored 358 | |
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Top goalscorer Andrija Kaluđerović(20 goals) Similar 2015–16 Maltese Premier L, 2016–17 Danish Superliga, 2016 Veikkausliiga, 2015–16 Slovenian PrvaLiga | ||
The 2016 A Lyga, also known as SMSCredit.lt A Lyga for sponsoring purposes was the 27th season of the A Lyga, the top-tier association football league of Lithuania. The season began on 2 March and ended on 26 November 2016. Žalgiris Vilnius were the defending champions.
Contents
Teams
FK Šiauliai failed to obtain a license to play in the A Lyga and were relegated alongside FK Kruoja, which withdrew and FK Klaipedos Granitas, which was disqualified. They were replaced by FK Lietava Jonava, which will make its debut at the top level. FK Spyris Kaunas changed its name to FK Kauno Žalgiris.
Changes from 2015
The league reduced its number of teams from ten sides down to eight. As a consequence, each team will play every other four times, twice at home and twice away with the top six then playing an additional round against each other.
Clubs and locations
The following teams are competing in the 2016 championship:
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Championship round
Top six will play each other once.
Championship round results
Source: A Lyga
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Relegation play-offs
The 7th placed team will face the runners-up of the 2016 LFF I Lyga for a two-legged play-off. The winner on aggregate score after both matches will earn entry into the 2017 A Lyga.
Second leg
3–3 on aggregate. Utenis won on away goals.
Attendance
^ — Official attendance statistic for the play-off matches wasn't publicly released.
"Golden Heart" initiative
From 2016 season A lyga together with Lithuanian Football Federation decided to expand project "Bring you hearts to the stadium" and honor players who played 10 or more times for the Lithuania national team with golden heart on their shirts.
In 2016 season these players have had this evaluation: