# 1995–96 Athletic Bilbao season

The 1995–96 season was the 95th season in Athletic Bilbao's history and their 65th consecutive season in La Liga, the top division of Spanish football.

## Season summary

For the second season running, Athletic had to find a new head coach, having dismissed Javier Irureta in March 1995. José María Amorrortu, normally in charge of Athletic Bilbao B, stepped up until the end of the season, but in July Dragoslav Stepanović was appointed as a permanent replacement. The Yugoslavian was previously the coach of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
Stepanović's reign began well, with a 4–0 victory over Racing Santander at San Mamés on the opening day of their La Liga campaign. However, in January Athletic were eliminated in the last sixteen of the Copa del Rey by Real Zaragoza, and by mid April were 15th in the league, having won just eight of their first 31 games. Following a 1–0 home defeat by Valencia on 17 March, and with the team only four points clear of the relegation playoff zone, Bilbao decided to replace Stepanović with immediate effect.
Almost exactly a year after first doing so, Amorrortu stepped into the breach until the end of the season. He wasn't able to drastically improve Athletic's fortunes, although they did win three more matches before the end of the season, and finish clear of relegation danger in 15th place. Frenchman Luis Fernández, previously of Paris Saint-Germain, was appointed as the new permanent head coach at the end of the season.

## Squad statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | La Liga | La Liga | Copa del Rey | Copa del Rey |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ESP | Juanjo Valencia | 41 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ESP | Andoni Lakabeg | 3 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ESP | Aitor Larrazábal | 41 | 3 | 35+1 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Aitor Karanka | 34 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ESP | Genar Andrinúa | 19 | 2 | 15+1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | ESP | Josu Urrutia | 28 | 0 | 22+3 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ESP | Andoni Goikoetxea | 37 | 0 | 29+4 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ESP | Julen Guerrero | 39 | 10 | 33 | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | ESP | Cuco Ziganda | 38 | 11 | 18+15 | 9 | 2+3 | 2 |
| 10 | MF | ESP | Ander Garitano | 31 | 2 | 24+2 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | ESP | Ernesto Valverde | 13 | 1 | 5+8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | ESP | Carlos García | 43 | 7 | 26+12 | 5 | 4+1 | 2 |
| 13 | GK | ESP | Jorge Aizkorreta | 8 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ESP | Óscar Vales | 43 | 1 | 34+3 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ESP | José Manuel Galdames | 17 | 0 | 14+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | ESP | Joseba Etxeberria | 39 | 10 | 28+5 | 7 | 5+1 | 3 |
| 18 | MF | ESP | Bittor Alkiza | 29 | 0 | 12+15 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | ESP | Ricardo Mendiguren | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | ESP | Eduardo Estíbariz | 23 | 0 | 10+11 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | ESP | Iñigo Larrainzar | 45 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | ESP | Óscar Tabuenka | 27 | 1 | 12+11 | 1 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | ESP | Jon Ander Lambea | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | ESP | Bolo | 22 | 3 | 14+6 | 3 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | ESP | Txutxi | 13 | 1 | 9+1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 31 | FW | ESP | Gorka Bidaurrázaga | 4 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | ESP | Felipe Guréndez | 7 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| | FW | ESP | David Gallo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
    1.^ Lakabeg was transferred to Celta Vigo during the season.

## Results
### La Liga
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 13 | Zaragoza | 42 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 51 | 59 | −8 | 48 |
| 14 | Oviedo | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 48 | 67 | −19 | 48 |
| 15 | Athletic Bilbao | 42 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 44 | 55 | −11 | 48 |
| 16 | Valladolid | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 57 | 62 | −5 | 47 |
| 17 | Racing Santander | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 47 | 69 | −22 | 47 |
* 1 2 3 SEV: 10 pts;ZAR: 8 pts; ROV: 6 pts → ROV 0–0 ATH; ATH: 6 pts → ATH 0–1 ROV
* 1 2 RAC 0–0 VLD; VLD 3–1 RAC