Deportivo la Coruna clinched their first-ever Liga championship in 1999-00, which on the time, made them the smallest Spanish metropolis to win the trophy, with a inhabitants of 250,000.
It was the height of Javier Irureta’s seven-year stint on the Galician membership, who completed 5 factors away from second-place Barcelona to kick begin a interval of sustained home and European darkish horsery within the early 2000’s.
Trying again, it wasn’t La Liga’s best season, with Depor the one aspect to win greater than 20 video games. Nevertheless, with three of the 4 Champions League semi-finalists that time period hailing from Spain, the league was nonetheless a drive to be reckoned with.
CHANGES
Actual Madrid have been busy within the switch market, including future stalwarts Ivan Helguera and Michel Salgado to their defence. Steve McManaman additionally joined the membership in a high-profile Bosman switch from Liverpool, whereas Nicola Anelka joined from Arsenal for an ill-fated spell.
Deportivo would make some of the necessary signings of their historical past, bringing in Roy Makaay from Tenerife. Barcelona additionally took an opportunity on the gifted however injury-prone attacking midfielder Jari Litmanen from Ajax.
Malaga, Numancia, Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano have been promoted from the Segunda, with Extremadura, Tenerife, Salamanca and Villarreal dropping down a division.
SUMMARY
Beneath Irureta’s affect, Deportivo developed a charming mixture of gamers. Laborious-working cogs like Noureddine Naybet and Mauro Silva have been complemented by homegrown stalwarts like Fran. The eccentric aptitude of Djalminha and Makaay’s scientific scoring proved a lethal combo.
The season was destined to be Depor’s when in February, they dismantled Madrid 5-2 on the Riazor to take care of their grip on first place in emphatic trend. The aristocrats had been flogged and by Might, Irureta’s staff have been champions.
Issues have been quite a bit messier just under, with three factors separating second via sixth. Actual Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona’s deep runs in Europe made issues extra difficult and left subsequent season’s group-stage entrants up within the air.
Suffering from a poisonous dressing room all season, Madrid completed fifth however gained the Champions League. This despatched them into the pot for 2000-01 on the expense of fourth-placed Zaragoza, who might have resigned Valencia to that destiny, however misplaced to Los Che on the ultimate matchday. Madrid additionally changed John Toshack with Vicente del Bosque in November, with that mid-season change laying the inspiration for some of the profitable intervals of their historical past.
It was a weird season in Spain’s high flight, with the three main contenders for the Pichichi coming from groups that flattered to deceive. Salva scored a league-leading 27 objectives for a Racing Santander aspect that completed solely 4 factors above relegation, whereas Catanha’s 24 strikes for Malaga couldn’t push them any greater than twelfth.
Even stranger was the case of Atletico Madrid’s Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who netted 24 instances – together with a double in opposition to Actual Madrid that gave the Rojiblancos their first win on the Bernabeu in 9 seasons. Nevertheless, poor type and upheaval with the mid-season departure of Claudio Ranieri doomed Atleti to relegation regardless of the Dutch striker’s heroics.
TOP GOALSCORER
SALVA – 27 GOALS
A exceptional return of 27 objectives for the Santander ahead noticed him earn a name as much as the Spanish nationwide staff earlier than he dropped down a division to affix freshly relegated Atletico Madrid for the next season.
MOST EXPENSIVE TRANSFER
NICOLAS ANELKA
Arsenal to Actual Madrid
€24m
KEY MOMENT OF THE SEASON
It was the last word assertion recreation. Actual Madrid have been dismantled 5-2 on the Riazor. Deportivo have been for actual and from that time on, nobody might catch them.
