Barcelona received their first Liga title in three seasons at a canter in 1997-98, ending 9 factors away from Athletic Membership.
Louis van Gaal led the Catalan membership to a home double in his first season on the helm, with the workforce spending all however 5 weeks on the high of the desk. They did all this regardless of a philanthropic defence that shipped 56 targets within the league alone – with solely three groups doing worse in that regard.
CHANGES
The summer season switch market was headlined by Barcelona, who noticed Ronaldo go away for Inter Milan on the peak of his powers for a world-record charge of £25m after a sudden breakdown in contract negotiations.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian spark was not misplaced on the membership, with Rivaldo and Sonny Anderson becoming a member of from Deportivo and Monaco respectively.
Atletico Madrid additionally ensured that the striker market wasn’t a one-way channel to Serie A with the high-profile signing of Christian Vieri from Juventus. To not be outdone, Actual Madrid secured the artful signing of Fernando Morientes on a free switch.
In the meantime, Athletic Bilbao splashed the money on Roberto Rios to the tune of £10.80m – a document for a Spanish participant.
Van Gaal’s appointment at Barcelona noticed Bobby Robson transfer upstairs to primarily grow to be the membership’s director of soccer. Elsewhere, Madrid made a managerial appointment of their very own, bringing in Jupp Heynckes from Tenerife.
SEASON SUMMARY
Barcelona spent the primary 12 weeks within the lead, however a resurgent Madrid overtook them in November, simply in time for his or her first assembly of the season on the Santiago Bernabeu. In one of many extra memorable Clasicos of the previous few many years, Barcelona regained their authority over the league with a 3-2 win. Giovanni was arrange for the winner by Luis Figo, who would additionally rating a belter within the return fixture in opposition to his future membership, which ended 3-0 to the Catalans.
Below Luis Fernandez, Bilbao, regardless of solely managing 52 targets all season, managed to complete in second due to a breakout marketing campaign from Joseba Etxeberria and robust performances from Ismael Urzaiz and Jose Mari Garcia.
Actual Sociedad rode the type of their bruising ahead Darko Kovacevic all the way in which to 3rd, their greatest league end in 10 seasons. Nevertheless, they had been denied a spot within the 1998-99 Champions League after Madrid beat Juventus in that 12 months’s ultimate. Los Blancos themselves by no means left the highest two for a lot of the season, however dropped factors of their ultimate three video games to stoop to fourth, which might value Heynckes his job.
Vieri scored 24 targets in as many video games for Atleti, however the capital membership might do no higher than seventh and a spot within the Uefa Cup.
This season was additionally notable for occasions on the different finish of the desk. Sporting Gijon 0-0 draw with Zaragoza made them the primary Liga aspect to be relegated in March, ending their 21-year stretch within the division. They completed with 13 factors from 38 video games, making them statistically the worst-ever aspect in Spain’s high flight by a snug margin.
TOP GOALSCORER
CHRISTIAN VIERI – 24 GOALS
In his lone season at Atletico Madrid, the Italian striker netted 24 occasions, ending comfortably forward of the Barcelona pair of Rivaldo and Luis Enrique.
MOST EXPENSIVE TRANSFER
RIVALDO
Deportivo to Barcelona
€21m
KEY MOMENT OF THE SEASON
Luis Figo enjoying an instrumental position in each Clasico victories for Barcelona, dooming the membership that he would take part a firestorm of controversy in a few years.
