# 2002–03 La Liga

The 2002–03 La Liga season was the 72nd since its establishment. It began on 31 August 2002, and concluded on 22 June 2003.

## Teams

Twenty teams competed in the league – the top seventeen teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the Segunda División. The promoted teams were Atlético Madrid, Racing Santander and Recreativo, returning to the top flight after an absence of two, one and twenty three years respectively. They replaced Las Palmas, Tenerife and Zaragoza after spending time in the top flight for two, one and twenty four years respectively.
| Promoted to 2002–03 La Liga | Relegated from 2001–02 La Liga |
| Atlético Madrid Racing Santander Recreativo | Las Palmas Tenerife Zaragoza |
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Barcelona | Camp Nou | 98,772 |
| Real Madrid | Santiago Bernabéu | 80,354 |
| Espanyol | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | 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 |
| Celta de Vigo | Estadio Balaídos | 32,500 |
| Real Sociedad | Anoeta | 32,200 |
| Málaga | La Rosaleda | 30,044 |
| Valladolid | José Zorrilla | 27,846 |
| Mallorca | Son Moix | 23,142 |
| Villarreal | El Madrigal | 23,000 |
| Racing de Santander* | El Sardinero | 22,400 |
| Recreativo de Huelva* | Nuevo Colombino | 19,860 |
| Alavés | Mendizorrotza | 19,840 |
| Osasuna | El Sadar | 19,553 |
| Rayo Vallecano | Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas | 14,505 |
(*) Promoted from Segunda División.

### Personnel and sponsors

| Team | Head Coach | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (front) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Shirt sponsor (sleeve) | Shorts sponsor |
| Alavés | Txutxi Aranguren | Umbro | Artium (away matches) / Alpine Europe (home matches) / Rioja Alavesa (in UEFA matches) | None | alava.net | Greco Gres |
| Athletic Bilbao | Jupp Heynckes | 100% Athletic | None | None | None | None |
| Atlético Madrid | Luis Aragonés | Nike | IDEA Electrodomésticos | None | None | None |
| Barcelona | Radomir Antić | Nike | None | None | None | None |
| Betis | Víctor Fernández | Kappa | None | None | None | None |
| Celta de Vigo | Miguel Ángel Lotina | Umbro | Citroën | None | None | None |
| Deportivo de La Coruña | Javier Irureta | Joma | Fadesa | None | None | None |
| Espanyol | Javier Clemente | Umbro | Vitel Mobile | None | None | None |
| Málaga | Joaquín Peiró | Umbro | Unicaja / Andalucía | None | None | None |
| Mallorca | Gregorio Manzano | Reial | Spanair | None | None | None |
| Osasuna | Javier Aguirre | Astore | Caja Navarra | None | None | None |
| Racing de Santander | Chuchi Cos | Racing | Cantabria / Organización Impulsora de Discapacitados | None | None | None |
| Rayo Vallecano | Antonio Iriondo | Joma | Rumasa | None | None | None |
| Real Madrid | Vicente del Bosque | Adidas | Siemens Mobile | None | None | None |
| Real Sociedad | Raynald Denoueix | Astore | Krafft Professional | None | None | None |
| Recreativo de Huelva | Lucas Alcaraz | Kelme | Cepsa / Andalucía | None | None | None |
| Sevilla | Joaquín Caparrós | Joma | Organización Impulsora de Discapacitados | Sevilla 2012 | None | Sevilla 2012 |
| Valencia | Rafael Benítez | Nike | Terra Mítica | None | None | None |
| Valladolid | José Moré Bonet | Umbro | Agroinnova / Hipotecas iBanesto / Castilla y León / Michelin / Supermercados El Árbol / Grupo Helios / Asómate a Valladolid | Indalux | Grupo Castrillo | None |
| Villarreal | Pepe Moré | Kelme | Terra Mítica | None | None | None |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Real Madrid (C) | 38 | 22 | 12 | 4 | 86 | 42 | +44 | 78 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Real Sociedad | 38 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 71 | 45 | +26 | 76 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Deportivo La Coruña | 38 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 67 | 47 | +20 | 72 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Celta Vigo | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 61 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 5 | Valencia | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 56 | 35 | +21 | 60 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 6 | Barcelona | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 63 | 47 | +16 | 56 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 7 | Athletic Bilbao | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 63 | 61 | +2 | 55 | |
| 8 | Real Betis | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 56 | 53 | +3 | 54 | |
| 9 | Mallorca | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 49 | 56 | −7 | 52 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 10 | Sevilla | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 50 | |
| 11 | Osasuna | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 40 | 48 | −8 | 47 | |
| 12 | Atlético Madrid | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 51 | 56 | −5 | 47 | |
| 13 | Málaga | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 44 | 49 | −5 | 46 | |
| 14 | Valladolid | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 37 | 40 | −3 | 46 | |
| 15 | Villarreal | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 44 | 53 | −9 | 45 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup third round |
| 16 | Racing Santander | 38 | 13 | 5 | 20 | 54 | 64 | −10 | 44 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round |
| 17 | Espanyol | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 48 | 54 | −6 | 43 | |
| 18 | Recreativo (R) | 38 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 35 | 61 | −26 | 36 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 19 | Alavés (R) | 38 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 38 | 68 | −30 | 35 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 20 | Rayo Vallecano (R) | 38 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 62 | −31 | 32 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
* ↑ Mallorca entered UEFA Cup as winners of 2002–03 Copa del Rey
* 1 2 OSA 1–0 ATM; ATM 0–1 OSA
* 1 2 VLD 0–0 MLG; MLG 1–0 VLD

## Results

| Home \ Away | ATH | ATM | FCB | BET | CEL | ALV | RCD | ESP | MCF | MLL | OSA | RAC | RVA | RMA | RSO | REC | SFC | VCF | VLD | VIL |
| Athletic Bilbao | | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Atlético Madrid | 3–3 | | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 |
| Barcelona | 2–2 | 2–2 | | 4–0 | 2–0 | 6–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 6–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Betis | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 |
| Celta de Vigo | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 |
| Alavés | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Deportivo La Coruña | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 3–0 | 6–0 | | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Espanyol | 3–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 |
| Málaga | 3–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–4 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Mallorca | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Osasuna | 1–5 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Racing Santander | 3–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 5–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–3 | | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Rayo Vallecano | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | | 2–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| Real Madrid | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | | 0–0 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Real Sociedad | 4–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Recreativo | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 5–0 |
| Sevilla | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Valencia | 5–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Valladolid | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | | 1–0 |
| Villarreal | 1–1 | 4–3 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | |

## Overall

* Most wins - Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, and Deportivo de La Coruña (22)
* Fewest wins - Rayo Vallecano (7)
* Most draws - Málaga CF and Espanyol (13)
* Fewest draws - Racing Santander (5)
* Most losses - Racing Santander and Rayo Vallecano (20)
* Fewest losses - Real Madrid (4)
* Most goals scored - Real Madrid (86)
* Fewest goals scored - Rayo Vallecano (31)
* Most goals conceded - Deportivo Alavés (68)
* Fewest goals conceded - Valencia (35)

## Awards
### Pichichi Trophy

The Pichichi Trophy is awarded to the player who scores the most goals in a season.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Roy Makaay | Deportivo La Coruña | 29 |
| 2 | Nihat Kahveci | Real Sociedad | 23 |
| 2 | Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 23 |
| 4 | Darko Kovačević | Real Sociedad | 20 |
| 5 | Patrick Kluivert | Barcelona | 16 |
| 5 | Raúl | Real Madrid | 16 |
| 7 | Fernando | Real Betis | 15 |
| 8 | Samuel Eto'o | Mallorca | 14 |

### Fair Play award

Real Madrid was the winner of the Fair-play award, with 76 points; second was Real Sociedad; and third was Deportivo La Coruña.

### Pedro Zaballa award

Real Sociedad supporters

### Hat-tricks

| Player | Club | Against | Result | Date |
| Kiki Musampa | Málaga | Recreativo Huelva | 3–2 (A) | 1 September 2002 |
| Julio Álvarez | Rayo Vallecano | Racing Santander | 3–1 (H) | 22 September 2002 |
| Pablo Aimar | Valencia | Athletic Bilbao | 5–1 (H) | 26 October 2002 |
| Patrick Kluivert | Barcelona | Alavés | 6–1 (H) | 26 October 2002 |
| Walter Pandiani | Mallorca | Valladolid | 3–1 (A) | 2 November 2002 |
| José Mari | Atlético Madrid | Athletic Bilbao | 3–3 (H) | 10 November 2002 |
| Ismael Urzaiz | Athletic Bilbao | Atlético Madrid | 3–3 (A) | 10 November 2002 |
| Patrick Kluivert | Barcelona | Mallorca | 4–0 (A) | 21 December 2002 |
| Javier Saviola | Barcelona | Real Betis | 4–0 (H) | 22 February 2003 |
| Diego Tristán | Deportivo La Coruña | Alavés | 6–0 (H) | 22 February 2003 |
| Ronaldo | Real Madrid | Alavés | 5–1 (A) | 1 March 2003 |
| Roy Makaay | Deportivo La Coruña | Recreativo Huelva | 5–0 (H) | 4 May 2003 |