# 1999–2000 La Liga

The 1999–2000 La Liga season, the 69th since its establishment. It began on 21 August 1999, and concluded on 20 May 2000. Deportivo La Coruña won a first La Liga title with 69 points, the lowest for a champion since the three points for a win rule was introduced in 1995.

## Promotion and relegation

Twenty teams competed in the league – the top sixteen teams from the previous season and the four teams promoted from the Segunda División. The promoted teams were Málaga, Numancia, Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano. Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano returned to the top flight after an absence of two years while Málaga CF and Numancia were promoted for the first time. However, since CD Málaga played in the 1989–90 La Liga, the city of Málaga returned to the top fight after an absence of nine years. They replaced Extremadura, Villarreal (both teams relegated after a season's presence), Tenerife (ending their top flight spell of eleven years) and Salamanca (ending their top flight spell of two years).

## Team information
### Personnel and kits

| Team | Chairman | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Alavés | Gonzalo Antón | José Manuel Esnal | Luanvi | Guascor |
| Athletic Bilbao | José María Arrate | Luis Fernández | Adidas | none |
| Atlético Madrid | Jesús Gil | Claudio Ranieri | Reebok | none |
| Barcelona | Josep Lluís Núñez | Louis van Gaal | Nike | none |
| Betis | Manuel Ruiz de Lopera | Carlos Griguol | Kappa | none |
| Celta | Horacio Gómez Araujo | Víctor Fernández | Umbro | Citroën |
| Deportivo | Augusto César Lendoiro | Javier Irureta | Adidas | Feiraco |
| Espanyol | Daniel Sánchez Llibre | Miguel Ángel Brindisi | John Smith | none |
| Málaga | Fernando Puche | Joaquín Peiró | Kelme | Unicaja |
| Mallorca | Guillem Reynés | Fernando Vázquez | Kelme | Spanair |
| Numancia | Francisco Rubio | Andoni Goikoetxea | Joma | Caja Duero |
| Oviedo | Eugenio Prieto Álvarez | Luis Aragonés | Erima | Asturias |
| Racing | Miguel Ángel Díaz Díaz | Gustavo Benítez | Austral | Cantabria |
| Rayo Vallecano | Teresa Rivero | Juande Ramos | Joma | Rumasa |
| Real Madrid | Lorenzo Sanz | John Toshack | Adidas | Teka |
| Real Sociedad | Luis Uranga | Bernd Krauss | Astore | Krafft |
| Sevilla | Rafael Carrión | Marcos Alonso | Umbro | SuperCable |
| Valencia | Pedro Cortés | Héctor Cúper | Luanvi | Terra Mítica |
| Valladolid | Marcos Fernández | Gregorio Manzano | Kelme | Caja España |
| Zaragoza | Alfonso Soláns | Chechu Rojo | Luanvi | Pikolin |

### Clubs and locations

1999–2000 season was composed of the following clubs:
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Barcelona | Camp Nou | 98,772 |
| Real Madrid | Santiago Bernabéu | 80,354 |
| Espanyol | Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc | 55,926 |
| Atlético Madrid | Vicente Calderón | 55,005 |
| Valencia | Mestalla | 55,000 |
| Real Betis | Manuel Ruiz de Lopera | 52,132 |
| Sevilla | Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán | 45,500 |
| Athletic Bilbao | San Mamés | 39,750 |
| Deportivo de La Coruña | Riazor | 34,600 |
| Real Zaragoza | La Romareda | 34,596 |
| Celta de Vigo | Estadio Balaídos | 32,500 |
| Real Sociedad | Anoeta | 32,200 |
| Real Oviedo | Carlos Tartiere | 30,500 |
| Málaga | La Rosaleda | 30,044 |
| Valladolid | José Zorrilla | 27,846 |
| Mallorca | Son Moix | 23,142 |
| Racing de Santander | El Sardinero | 22,222 |
| Alavés | Mendizorrotza | 19,840 |
| Rayo Vallecano | Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas | 14,505 |
| Numancia | Los Pajaritos | 8,261 |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming manager | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Mallorca | Mario Gómez | | August 1999 | Fernando Vázquez | September 1999 | 19th |
| Real Sociedad | Bernd Krauss | Sacked | 25 October 1999 | Javier Clemente | 26 October 1999 | 17th |
| Real Madrid | John Toshack | Sacked | 17 November 1999 | Vicente del Bosque | 18 November 1999 | 8th |
| Espanyol | Miguel Ángel Brindisi | Sacked | 17 January 2000 | Paco Flores | January 2000 | 17th |
| Betis | Carlos Griguol | Sacked | January 2000 | Guus Hiddink | February 2000 | 16th |
| Atlético Madrid | Claudio Ranieri | Sacked | February 2000 | Radomir Antić | March 2000 | 17th |
| Sevilla | Marcos Alonso Peña | Sacked | March 2000 | Juan Carlos Álvarez | March 2000 | 20th |
| Betis | Guus Hiddink | Sacked | 2 May 2000 | Faruk Hadžibegić | May 2000 | 18th |
| Atlético Madrid | Radomir Antić | Sacked | May 2000 | Fernando Zambrano | May 2000 | 19th |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Deportivo La Coruña (C) | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 66 | 44 | +22 | 69 | Qualification for the Club World Cup |
| 2 | Barcelona | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 70 | 46 | +24 | 64 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Valencia | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 59 | 39 | +20 | 64 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Zaragoza | 38 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 60 | 40 | +20 | 63 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Real Madrid | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 58 | 48 | +10 | 62 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 6 | Alavés | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 41 | 37 | +4 | 61 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 7 | Celta Vigo | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 45 | 43 | +2 | 53 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup third round |
| 8 | Valladolid | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 36 | 44 | −8 | 53 | |
| 9 | Rayo Vallecano | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 51 | 53 | −2 | 52 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup qualifying round |
| 10 | Mallorca | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 52 | 45 | +7 | 51 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round |
| 11 | Athletic Bilbao | 38 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 47 | 57 | −10 | 50 | |
| 12 | Málaga | 38 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 48 | |
| 13 | Real Sociedad | 38 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 47 | |
| 14 | Espanyol | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 51 | 48 | +3 | 47 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 15 | Racing Santander | 38 | 10 | 16 | 12 | 52 | 50 | +2 | 46 | |
| 16 | Oviedo | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 45 | |
| 17 | Numancia | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 47 | 59 | −12 | 45 | |
| 18 | Real Betis (R) | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 33 | 56 | −23 | 42 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 19 | Atlético Madrid (R) | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 48 | 64 | −16 | 38 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 20 | Sevilla (R) | 38 | 5 | 13 | 20 | 42 | 67 | −25 | 28 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
* ↑ Deportivo La Coruña also qualified for the Champions League group stage.
* 1 2 VAL 3–1 BAR; BAR 3–0 VAL
* 1 2 Real Madrid qualified directly for the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League as holders. As a result, Zaragoza lost their spot in the UEFA Champions League and had to participate in the UEFA Cup.
* 1 2 VLD 3–3 CEL; CEL 1–1 VLD
* ↑ Rayo Vallecano earned a spot in the qualifying round of the 2000–01 UEFA Cup as being elected by UEFA as one of the two best entries of UEFA Fair play.
* 1 2 ESP 0–0 RSO; RSO 1–0 ESP
* ↑ Espanyol entered UEFA Cup as winners of 1999–2000 Copa del Rey.
* 1 2 ROV 1–0 NUM; NUM 1–1 ROV

## Results

The season results are as follows:
| Home \ Away | ATH | ATM | FCB | BET | CEL | ALV | RCD | ESP | MCF | MLL | NUM | RAC | RVA | RMA | ROV | RSO | SFC | VCF | VLD | ZAR |
| Athletic Bilbao | | 4–2 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 |
| Atlético Madrid | 1–2 | | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Barcelona | 4–0 | 2–1 | | 4–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Betis | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–5 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Celta de Vigo | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 5–3 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Alavés | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 |
| Deportivo La Coruña | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Espanyol | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Málaga | 3–4 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Mallorca | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Numancia | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Racing Santander | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Rayo Vallecano | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 0–1 |
| Real Madrid | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–0 | | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–5 |
| Oviedo | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 0–1 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Real Sociedad | 4–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–5 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Sevilla | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 |
| Valencia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 6–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Valladolid | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | | 1–1 |
| Zaragoza | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | |

## Overall

* Most wins – Deportivo La Coruña (21)
* Fewest wins – Sevilla (5)
* Most draws – Racing Santander (16)
* Fewest draws – Deportivo La Coruña (6)
* Most losses – Sevilla (20)
* Fewest losses – Zaragoza (7)
* Most goals scored – Barcelona (70)
* Fewest goals scored – Betis (33)
* Most goals conceded – Sevilla (67)
* Fewest goals conceded – Alavés (37)

## Awards and season statistics
### Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Salva | Racing Santander | 27 |
| 2 | Catanha | Málaga | 24 |
| 2 | Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink | Atlético Madrid | 24 |
| 4 | Roy Makaay | Deportivo La Coruña | 22 |
| 5 | Savo Milošević | Zaragoza | 21 |
| 6 | Diego Tristán | Mallorca | 18 |
| 7 | Raúl | Real Madrid | 17 |
| 8 | Patrick Kluivert | Barcelona | 15 |
| 9 | Gaizka Mendieta | Valencia | 13 |
| 9 | Víctor | Valladolid | 13 |
Source: BDFutbol

### Zamora Trophy

| Player | Club | Goals against | Matches | Average |
| Martín Herrera | Alavés | 37 | 38 | 0.97 |

### Fair Play award

Rayo Vallecano was the winner of the Fair-play award with 102 points, moreover it was elected on 8 June 2000 in Brussels as one of the three entries by UEFA to enter UEFA Cup in the qualifying round by the same condition of Fair Play.
* Source: El Mundo Deportivo (newspaper archive, web)

### Pedro Zaballa award

Alfonso Pérez, footballer