1999–2000 Athletic Bilbao season

The 1999–2000 season was the 99th season in Athletic Bilbao's history and their 69th consecutive season in La Liga, the top division of Spanish football.

Athletic Bilbao

1999–2000 season
President	José María Arrate
Head coach	Luis Fernández
Stadium	San Mamés
La Liga	11th
Copa del Rey	2nd Round
Top goalscorer	League: Joseba Etxeberria, 10[1] All: Joseba Etxeberria, 12

Season summary

1999–2000, the fourth season of Luis Fernández's tenure as head coach, was his least successful so far in terms of both league and cup results. It was the first La Liga campaign of the Frenchman's reign in which Athletic finished outside the top ten, placing 11th.[2] They also suffered an early exit from the Copa del Rey, losing in the second round to Rayo Vallecano.

Fernández left his post at the end of the season, and Real Zaragoza's Txetxu Rojo was appointed in his place. Rojo had had two previous spells at San Mamés – as a successful forward between 1965 and 1982, and as head coach in the latter part of the 1989–90 season.

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

[1][3][4]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		La Liga		Copa del Rey
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
3	MF		Óscar Vales	7	0	5	0	2	0
4	DF		Rafael Alkorta	26	1	24	1	2	0
5	MF		Felipe Guréndez	37	0	31+3	0	2+1	0
6	MF		Josu Urrutia	30	0	27+2	0	1	0
7	MF		Andoni Imaz	16	0	5+8	0	3	0
8	MF		Julen Guerrero	35	6	28+4	6	3	0
9	FW		Santi Ezquerro	30	6	22+6	6	2	0
10	DF		Aitor Larrazábal	27	4	22+4	4	1	0
11	DF		Jesús María Lacruz	31	4	28+2	4	1	0
12	DF		Carlos García	30	4	23+4	3	3	1
13	GK		Imanol Etxeberria	26	0	26	0	0	0
14	MF		José Mari	13	1	10+2	1	1	0
15	DF		Patxi Ferreira	28	1	23+2	1	3	0
16	FW		Sívori	15	0	2+11	0	1+1	0
17	FW		Joseba Etxeberria	37	12	33+2	10	0+2	2
18	MF		Bittor Alkiza	30	0	26+1	0	3	0
19	DF		Mikel Lasa	4	0	3	0	1	0
20	FW		Ismael Urzaiz	37	7	22+11	5	4	2
21	DF		Iñigo Larrainzar	17	0	13+1	0	2+1	0
22	MF		Javi González	26	0	5+17	0	2+2	0
23	MF		Edu Alonso	26	0	10+13	0	2+1	0
24	DF		Roberto Ríos	6	0	4+2	0	0	0
26	GK		Iñaki Lafuente	18	0	12+2	0	4	0
28	MF		Francisco Yeste	6	0	4+2	0	0	0
31	MF		Tiko	20	1	8+9	1	1+2	0
35	FW		David Asensio	1	0	1	0	0	0
36	FW		David Karanka	2	0	0+2	0	0	0
37	DF		Unai Expósito	2	0	1+1	0	0	0

Results

La Liga

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
9	Rayo Vallecano	38	15	7	16	51	53	−2	52	Qualification for the UEFA Cup qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
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[lower-alpha 2]

Source: LFP
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head goals scored; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored.
Notes:

1. 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.
2. ESP 0–0 RSO; RSO 1–0 ESP

See also

• 1999–2000 La Liga
• 1999–2000 Copa del Rey

External links

• Official website (in English, Basque, and Spanish)

References

1. "Athletic Bilbao » Appearances Primera División 1999/2000". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
2. "LaLiga 1999/2000 Table, Results, Fixtures - (Football/Spain)". flashscore.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
3. "Athletic Bilbao » Squad 1999/2000". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
4. "Athletic Bilbao » Appearances Copa del Rey 1999/2000". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 22 November 2020.