# 1996–97 La Liga

The 1996–97 La Liga season was the 66th since its establishment. It began on 31 August 1996, and concluded on 23 June 1997. Five clubs were relegated to the Segunda División at the end of the season, as the number of La Liga clubs was reduced to 20 starting from the following season. This was thus the last La Liga season played with 22 teams.

## Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from 1995–96 Segunda División
* Hércules
* Logroñés
* Extremadura
Teams relegated to 1996–97 Segunda División
* Albacete
* Mérida
* Salamanca

## Team information
### Clubs and locations

1996–97 season was composed of the following clubs:
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Barcelona | Camp Nou | 98,772 |
| Real Madrid | Santiago Bernabéu | 80,354 |
| Atlético Madrid | Vicente Calderón | 55,005 |
| Valencia | Mestalla | 55,000 |
| Real Betis | Benito Villamarín | 52,132 |
| Sevilla | Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán | 45,500 |
| Espanyol | Sarrià | 44,000 |
| Athletic Bilbao | San Mamés | 39,750 |
| Deportivo de La Coruña | Riazor | 34,600 |
| Real Zaragoza | La Romareda | 34,596 |
| Celta de Vigo | Balaídos | 32,500 |
| Real Sociedad | Anoeta | 32,200 |
| Hércules | José Rico Pérez | 29,500 |
| Valladolid | José Zorrilla | 27,846 |
| Sporting de Gijón | El Molinón | 25,885 |
| Real Oviedo | Carlos Tartiere | 23,500 |
| Tenerife | Heliodoro Rodríguez López | 22,824 |
| Racing de Santander | El Sardinero | 22,222 |
| Logroñés | Las Gaunas | 16,000 |
| Rayo Vallecano | Vallecas | 14,708 |
| Compostela | San Lázaro | 12,000 |
| Extremadura | Francisco de la Hera | 11,580 |
* It was the last season with 22 teams in La Liga. To reduce the number of teams in the league, the last four teams, CF Extremadura, Sevilla FC, Hércules CF and CD Logroñés, were relegated and the fifth-to-last team, Rayo Vallecano, played a relegation playoff and was also relegated.

### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Head coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Athletic Bilbao | Luis Fernández | Genar Andrinúa | Kappa | None |
| Atlético Madrid | Radomir Antić | Roberto Solozábal | Puma | Bandai/Tamagotchi |
| Barcelona | Bobby Robson | Gheorghe Popescu | Kappa | None |
| Betis | Lorenzo Serra Ferrer | Alexis Trujillo | Kappa | Ocaroil |
| Celta Vigo | Fernando Castro Santos | Patxi Salinas | Umbro | Citroën |
| Compostela | Fernando Vázquez | Javier Bellido | Zico | Escuris |
| Deportivo | Carlos Alberto Silva | Francisco Javier González Pérez | Umbro | Feiraco |
| Espanyol | Paco Flores | Francisco Javier López Alfaro | Puma | Dani |
| Extremadura | Iosu Ortoundo | Juan Francisco Rodríguez Herrera | Kelme | Expo '98 Lisboa |
| Hércules | Quique Hernández | Francisco Gabriel Escudero Martínez | Rasán | Jijona |
| Logroñés | Carlos Aimar | Agustín Abadía | Rasán | La Rioja |
| Racing Santander | Marcos Alonso Peña | Jesús Merino Landaluce | Austral | Caja Cantabria |
| Rayo Vallecano | Francisco García Gómez | Jesús Diego Cota | Joma | Estepona |
| Oviedo | José Antonio Novo | Alberto Martínez Díaz | Joluvi | Cajastur |
| Real Madrid | Fabio Capello | Manolo Sanchís | Kelme | Teka |
| Real Sociedad | Javier Irureta | Lorenzo Juarros García | Astore | Krafft |
| Sevilla | Vicente Miera | Manuel Jiménez Jiménez | Umbro | None |
| Sporting de Gijón | Benito Floro | Juan Carlos Ablanedo | Joma | Cajastur |
| Tenerife | Jupp Heynckes | Felipe Miñambres | Puma | Canarias |
| Valencia | Jorge Valdano | Andoni Zubizarreta | Luanvi | Ford |
| Valladolid | Vicente Cantatore | Juan Carlos Rodríguez Moreno | Kelme | Caja España |
| Zaragoza | Víctor Espárrago | Alberto Belsué | Adidas | Pikolin |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Real Madrid (C) | 42 | 27 | 11 | 4 | 85 | 36 | +49 | 92 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Barcelona | 42 | 28 | 6 | 8 | 102 | 48 | +54 | 90 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Deportivo La Coruña | 42 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 57 | 30 | +27 | 77 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Real Betis | 42 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 81 | 46 | +35 | 77 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 5 | Atlético Madrid | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 76 | 64 | +12 | 71 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 6 | Athletic Bilbao | 42 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 72 | 57 | +15 | 64 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 7 | Valladolid | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 64 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 8 | Real Sociedad | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 50 | 47 | +3 | 63 | |
| 9 | Tenerife | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 69 | 57 | +12 | 56 | |
| 10 | Valencia | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 63 | 59 | +4 | 56 | |
| 11 | Compostela | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 52 | 65 | −13 | 53 | |
| 12 | Espanyol | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 51 | |
| 13 | Racing Santander | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 52 | 54 | −2 | 50 | |
| 14 | Zaragoza | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 58 | 66 | −8 | 50 | |
| 15 | Sporting Gijón | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 45 | 63 | −18 | 50 | |
| 16 | Celta Vigo | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 51 | 54 | −3 | 49 | |
| 17 | Oviedo | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 49 | 65 | −16 | 48 | |
| 18 | Rayo Vallecano (R) | 42 | 13 | 6 | 23 | 43 | 62 | −19 | 45 | Qualification for the relegation playoffs |
| 19 | Extremadura (R) | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 35 | 64 | −29 | 44 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 20 | Sevilla (R) | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 50 | 69 | −19 | 43 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 21 | Hércules (R) | 42 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 40 | 77 | −37 | 41 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 22 | Logroñés (R) | 42 | 9 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 85 | −52 | 33 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
* 1 2 BET 1–2 DEP; DEP 3–0 BET
* ↑ Since Barcelona, winners of 1996–97 Copa del Rey, was qualified for the 1997–98 UEFA Champions League, losing cup finalists Real Betis earned a spot in the first round of the 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
* 1 2 VLD 0–0 ATH; ATH 0–0 VLD
* 1 2 VAL 2–1 TEN; TEN 2–1 VAL
* 1 2 3 RAC: 9 pts; ZAR: 6 pts; SPG: 3 pts

## Results

| Home \ Away | ATH | ATM | BAR | BET | CEL | COM | DEP | ESP | EXT | HÉR | LOG | RAC | RVA | RMA | ROV | RSO | SEV | SPG | TEN | VAL | VLD | ZAR |
| Athletic Bilbao | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Atlético Madrid | 2–1 | | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 5–1 |
| FC Barcelona | 2–0 | 3–3 | | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 8–0 | 1–0 | 6–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 6–1 | 4–1 |
| Betis | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Celta de Vigo | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 |
| SD Compostela | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–1 | | 0–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Deportivo de La Coruña | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| RCD Espanyol | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | | 5–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| CF Extremadura | 1–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Hércules CF | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| CD Logroñés | 1–4 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Racing de Santander | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Rayo Vallecano | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Real Madrid | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | | 6–1 | 6–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Real Oviedo | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–3 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Real Sociedad | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Sevilla FC | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Sporting de Gijón | 2–4 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 |
| CD Tenerife | 3–3 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 6–0 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 6–0 | | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 |
| Valencia CF | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 2–4 | 1–1 |
| Valladolid | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | | 1–1 |
| Zaragoza | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |

## Relegation playoff

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| RCD Mallorca | (a) 2–2 | Rayo Vallecano | 1–0 | 1–2 |

### Second leg
## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Ronaldo | Barcelona | 34 |
| 2 | Alfonso | Real Betis | 25 |
| 3 | Davor Šuker | Real Madrid | 24 |
| 4 | Raúl | Real Madrid | 21 |
| 4 | Rivaldo | Deportivo La Coruña | 21 |
| 6 | Oli | Oviedo | 19 |
| 7 | Luis Enrique | Barcelona | 17 |
| 7 | Ohen | Compostela | 17 |
| 7 | José Ángel Ziganda | Athletic Bilbao | 17 |
| 10 | Víctor Fernández | Valladolid | 16 |
| 10 | Lyuboslav Penev | Compostela |
| 10 | Ismael Urzaiz | Athletic Bilbao |