2002–03 Valencia CF season

Valencia CF
2002–03 season
PresidentJaime Ortí
ManagerRafael Benítez
StadiumMestalla
La Liga5th
Copa del ReySecond round
Supercopa de EspañaRunners-up
UEFA Champions LeagueQuarter-finals
Top goalscorerLeague:
Pablo Aimar
Fábio Aurélio
John Carew
(8 each)
All:
John Carew (13)

Valencia CF did not succeed in defending their La Liga title, finishing in slumped 5th place. Los Che also got to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, where former coach Héctor Cúper and Inter got the upper hand over Valencia and Rafael Benítez. The main player during the season was Pablo Aimar, who was the only player making waves in the season, where the previously solid defense did not perform as previously.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Spain ESP Santiago Cañizares
2 DF Argentina ARG Mauricio Pellegrino
3 DF Brazil BRA Fábio Aurélio
4 DF Argentina ARG Roberto Ayala
5 DF Serbia and Montenegro SCG Miroslav Đukić
6 MF Spain ESP David Albelda
7 FW Norway NOR John Carew
8 MF Spain ESP Rubén Baraja
9 FW Spain ESP Salva
10 MF Spain ESP Angulo
11 FW Spain ESP Juan Sánchez
12 DF Spain ESP Carlos Marchena
13 GK Spain ESP Andrés Palop
14 MF Spain ESP Vicente
15 DF Italy ITA Amedeo Carboni
16 MF Romania ROU Dennis Șerban
17 MF France FRA Anthony Réveillère
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF Argentina ARG Kily González
19 MF Spain ESP Francisco Rufete
20 FW Spain ESP Mista
21 MF Argentina ARG Pablo Aimar
22 MF Uruguay URU Gonzalo de los Santos
23 DF Spain ESP Curro Torres
27 DF Spain ESP David Navarro
28 GK Spain ESP David Rángel
29 MF Spain ESP Ximo Enguix
30 FW Spain ESP Borja Criado
31 DF Spain ESP Miguel Albiol
34 MF Spain ESP Javier Garrido
36 DF France FRA Jean-Félix Dorothée
37 MF Spain ESP Pablo Redondo
39 MF Spain ESP Jaime Gavilán
40 DF Spain ESP César Soriano
— DF Paraguay PAR Ángel Amarilla

Transfers

In
Pos. Name from Type
DF Anthony Réveillère Rennes loan
DF Jean-Félix Dorothée Rennes Free

Competitions

La Liga

Main article: 2002–03 La Liga

League table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
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
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
7 Athletic Bilbao 38 15 10 13 63 61 +2 55
Source: LFP
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th head-to-head away goals scored; 5th goal difference; 6th number of goals scored; 7th Fair-play points

Results by round

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA
ResultWWDWLDWWDLWDWWLLDWWWDWWDLLDLWLWLLWLDLW
Position31215422233322343333333344444544545555
Source: Competitive Matches
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss;   = Leader, 2003–04 UEFA Champions League group stage;   = 2003–04 UEFA Champions League group stage;   = 2003–04 UEFA Champions League qualifying round;   = 2003–04 UEFA Cup;   = 2003–04 Segunda División

Matches

1 September 2002 1 Mallorca 0-2 Valencia  
Gonzalo de los Santos 11'
Rubén Baraja 57'
14 September 2002 2 Valencia 3-0 Recreativo Valencia
Vicente 10'
John Carew 88'
John Carew 90'		 Stadium: Mestalla
22 September 2002 3 Málaga 2-2 Valencia  
Manu 26'
Mikel Roteta 30'		 Mista 47'
Angulo 90'
29 September 2002 4 Valencia 3-0 Rayo Vallecano Valencia
Mista 34'
Rubén Baraja 45' (pen.)
Angulo 86'		 Stadium: Mestalla
6 October 2002 5 Valencia 0-1 Celta Vigo Valencia
Vágner 90' Stadium: Mestalla
19 October 2002 6 Atlético Madrid 1-1 Valencia  
Javi Moreno 75' Report Mauricio Pellegrino 40'
26 October 2002 7 Valencia 5-1 Athletic Bilbao Valencia
Pablo Aimar 5'
John Carew 7'
Pablo Aimar 28'
Pablo Aimar 43'
Fábio Aurélio 48' (pen.)		 Report Tiko 81' Stadium: Mestalla
3 November 2002 8 Espanyol 0-1 Valencia  
Report Fábio Aurélio 74'
9 November 2002 9 Valencia 1-1 Betis Valencia
Pablo Aimar 81' Report Marcos Assunção 70' Stadium: Mestalla
17 November 2002 10 Osasuna 1-0 Valencia Pamplona
Iván Rosado 6' Report
24 November 2002 11 Valencia 2-0 Valladolid Valencia
Mista 10'
Mista 30'		 Report Stadium: Mestalla
1 December 2002 12 Deportivo Alavés 0-0 Valencia
Report
7 December 2002 13 Valencia 2-0 Racing Santander Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
14 December 2002 14 Villarreal CF 0-2 Valencia
Report
22 December 2002 15 Valencia 0-1 Deportivo La Coruña Valencia
Stadium: Mestalla
5 January 2003 16 Real Madrid 4-1 Valencia Madrid
Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu
11 January 2003 17 Valencia 2-2 Real Sociedad Valencia
Stadium: Mestalla
18 January 2003 18 FC Barcelona 2-4 Valencia Barcelona
Stadium: Camp Nou
26 January 2003 19 Valencia 1-0 Sevilla CF Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
2 February 2003 20 Valencia 1-0 RCD Mallorca Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
9 February 2003 21 Recreativo Huelva 1-1 Valencia Huelva
15 February 2003 22 Valencia 2-0 Málaga CF Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
23 February 2003 23 Rayo Vallecano 0-4 Valencia Vallecas
2 March 2003 24 Celta Vigo 1-1 Valencia Vigo
Report Stadium: Balaídos
8 March 2003 25 Valencia 0-1 Atlético Madrid Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
16 March 2003 26 Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Valencia Bilbao
Report Stadium: San Mames
23 March 2003 27 Valencia 1-1 RCD Espanyol Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
5 April 2003 28 Real Betis 2-0 Valencia Sevilla
Stadium: Benito Villamarin
13 April 2003 29 Valencia 1-0 Osasuna Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
19 April 2003 30 Real Valladolid 1-0 Valencia Valladolid
Report Stadium: Jose Zorrilla
27 April 2003 31 Valencia 3-0 Deportivo Alavés Valencia
Stadium: Mestalla
4 May 2003 32 Racing Santander 2-1 Valencia Santander
Report Stadium: El Sardinero
11 May 2003 33 Valencia 1-2 Villarreal CF Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
17 May 2003 34 Deportivo La Coruña 1-2 Valencia La Coruña
Report Stadium: Riazor
24 May 2003 35 Valencia 1-2 Real Madrid Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
1 June 2003 36 Real Sociedad 1-1 Valencia San Sebastián
Report Stadium: Anoeta
15 June 2003 37 Valencia 1-3 FC Barcelona Valencia
Report Stadium: Mestalla
21 June 2003 38 Sevilla CF 0-3 Valencia Sevilla
Report Stadium: Sanchez Pizjuan

Copa del Rey

Main article: 2002–03 Copa del Rey

Round of 64

11 September 2002 Gimnàstic de Tarragona 0-0
(4-5 p)		 Valencia

Round of 32

6 November 2002 Alicante 3-3
(5-4 p)		 Valencia Alicante
Report

UEFA Champions League

Main article: 2002–03 UEFA Champions League

First group stage

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Spain Valencia 6 5 1 0 17 4 +13 16 Advance to second group stage
2 Switzerland Basel 6 2 3 1 12 12 0 9
3 England Liverpool 6 2 2 2 12 8 +4 8 Transfer to UEFA Cup
4 Russia Spartak Moscow 6 0 0 6 1 18 −17 0
Source: RSSSF
17 September 2002 Valencia Spain 2–0 England Liverpool Valencia
20:45
(20:45 UTC+2)		 Aimar 20'
Baraja 38'		 Report Stadium: Mestalla
Attendance: 35,333
Referee: Germany Herbert Fandel
25 September 2002 Spartak Moscow Russia 0–3 Spain Valencia Moscow
18:00
(20:00 UTC+4)		 Report Angulo 6'
Mista 71'
Juan Sánchez 85'		 Stadium: Dynamo Stadium
Attendance: 10,500
Referee: France Stéphane Bré
2 October 2002 Valencia Spain 6–2 Switzerland Basel Valencia
20:45
(20:45 UTC+2)		 Carew 10', 13'
Aurélio 17'
Baraja 28'
Aimar 58'
Mista 60'		 Report Rossi 46'
H. Yakin 90'		 Stadium: Mestalla
Attendance: 27,394
Referee: Italy Cosimo Bolognino
22 October 2002 Basel Switzerland 2–2 Spain Valencia Basel
20:45
(20:45 UTC+2)		 Ergić 32', 90' Report Baraja 36'
Curro Torres 72'		 Stadium: St. Jakob-Park
Attendance: 29,500
Referee: Germany Helmut Fleischer
30 October 2002 Liverpool England 0–1 Spain Valencia Liverpool
20:45
(19:45 UTC±0)		 Report Rufete 34' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 41,831
Referee: Norway Terje Hauge
12 November 2002 Valencia Spain 3–0 Russia Spartak Moscow Valencia
20:45
(20:45 UTC+1)		 Juan Sánchez 38', 46'
Aurélio 78'		 Report Stadium: Mestalla
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: Greece Georgios Kasnaferis

Second group stage

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Spain Valencia 6 2 3 1 5 6 −1 9 Advance to knockout stage
2 Netherlands Ajax 6 1 5 0 6 5 +1 8
3 England Arsenal 6 1 4 1 6 5 +1 7
4 Italy Roma 6 1 2 3 7 8 −1 5
Source: RSSSF
27 November 2002 Valencia Spain 1–1 Netherlands Ajax Valencia
20:45
(20:45 UTC+1)		 Angulo 90' Report Ibrahimović 89' Stadium: Mestalla
Attendance: 32,164
Referee: Gilles Veissière (France)
10 December 2002 Arsenal England 0–0 Spain Valencia London
20:45
(19:45 UTC±0)		 Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 34,793
Referee: Denmark Kim Milton Nielsen
18 February 2003 Roma Italy 0–1 Spain Valencia Rome
20:45
(20:45 UTC+1)		 Report Carew 78' Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 30,599
Referee: Germany Wolfgang Stark
26 February 2003 Valencia Spain 0–3 Italy Roma Valencia
20:45
(20:45 UTC+1)		 Report Totti 24', 30'
Emerson 36'		 Stadium: Mestalla
Attendance: 35,175
Referee: Belgium Frank De Bleeckere
11 March 2003 Ajax Netherlands 1–1 Spain Valencia Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
20:45
(20:45 UTC+1)		 Pasanen 56' Report Kily González 28' (pen.) Attendance: 48,633
Referee: Slovakia Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)
19 March 2003 Valencia Spain 2–1 England Arsenal Valencia
20:45
(20:45 UTC+1)		 Carew 34', 57' Report Henry 49' Stadium: Mestalla
Attendance: 44,151
Referee: Greece Kyros Vassaras

Quarter-finals

9 April 2003 Internazionale Italy 1–0 Spain Valencia Milano
20:45
(20:45 UTC+2)		 Vieri 14' Report Stadium: San Siro
Attendance: 52,623
Referee: Germany Markus Merk
22 April 2003 Valencia Spain 2–1 Italy Internazionale Valencia
20:45
(20:45 UTC+2)		 Aimar 7'
Baraja 51'		 Report Vieri 5' Stadium: Mestalla
Attendance: 43,802
Referee: Denmark Kim Milton Nielsen

Statistics

Players statistics

No. Pos Nat Player Total La Liga Copa del Rey Champions League
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Spain ESP Cañizares 43 -39 31 -27 0 0 12 -12
15 DF Italy ITA Carboni 41 0 24+5 0 0+1 0 10+1 0
4 DF Argentina ARG Ayala 43 1 31 1 0 0 12 0
2 DF Argentina ARG Pellegrino 41 1 26+2 1 1+1 0 11 0
3 DF Brazil BRA Fábio Aurélio 37 10 23+4 8 2 0 4+4 2
8 DM Spain ESP Baraja 48 9 30+5 5 1 0 12 4
6 DM Spain ESP Albelda 37 0 23+3 0 0 0 11 0
19 MF Spain ESP Rufete 40 4 26+2 3 1 0 8+3 1
21 AM Argentina ARG Aimar 44 11 29+2 8 1+1 0 10+1 3
14 MF Spain ESP Vicente 39 1 26+2 1 0 0 10+1 0
7 FW Norway NOR Carew 46 13 25+7 8 1 0 12+1 5
13 GK Spain ESP Palop 14 -11 7+2 -8 2 -3 2+1 0
12 DF Spain ESP Marchena 37 0 22+4 0 1+1 0 4+5 0
10 FW Spain ESP Angulo 37 6 15+9 4 1+1 0 6+5 2
20 FW Spain ESP Mista 39 11 10+17 7 1 2 3+8 2
11 FW Spain ESP Juan Sánchez 36 9 9+17 5 1 1 5+4 3
17 MF France FRA Réveillère 24 1 17+1 1 0 0 6 0
22 MF Uruguay URU de los Santos 23 1 11+6 1 2 0 2+2 0
23 DF Spain ESP Curro Torres 22 1 14 0 1 0 7 1
5 DF Serbia and Montenegro SCG Djukic 10 0 6+2 0 1 0 1 0
18 MF Argentina ARG Kily González 20 1 4+9 0 1 0 4+2 1
34 MF Spain ESP Garrido 9 0 5+1 0 1 0 1+1 0
27 DF Spain ESP Navarro 6 0 2+1 0 2 0 0+1 0
30 FW Spain ESP Borja 4 0 1+2 0 1 0
9 FW Spain ESP Salva 4 0 1+1 0 0+1 0 1 0
29 MF Spain ESP Enguix 2 0 0+2 0
39 MF Spain ESP Gavilán 2 0 0+2 0
36 DF France FRA Dorothée 1 0 0+1 0
31 DF Spain ESP Albiol 2 0 0+1 0 0 0 0+1 0
37 MF Spain ESP Redondo 1 0 0+1 0
40 DF Spain ESP Soriano 1 0 0+1 0
16 MF Romania ROU Șerban
28 GK Spain ESP Rángel
DF Paraguay PAR Ángel Amarilla

References