1997–98 FC Barcelona season

FC Barcelona returned to its previous glorious league ways under the guidance of new coach Louis van Gaal. The highly rated coach, hired from Ajax Amsterdam, brought lethal striker Sonny Anderson and the attacking midfielder Rivaldo with him. But surprisedly Barcelona sold Ronaldo to Inter Milan just before season begin and thus handed Sonny Anderson as main striker. He introduced Barcelona to his marvelous 4-3-3 formation, in which Rivaldo was a perfect centre forward, scoring 20 goals in the league. Under van Gaal at helm on his first season, Barcelona won their 15th La Liga title, 2nd European Super Cup title as well as 24th Copa del Rey title (thus winning their domestic double) but Barcelona crashed out of the UEFA Champions League, following a lackluster performance in the First Group Phase. In fact, Barcelona ended up last in the group, contributing only single victory, two draws and three defeats and thus preventing Barcelona's first treble glory.

FC Barcelona
1997–98 season
PresidentJosep Lluís Núñez
Head CoachLouis van Gaal
StadiumCamp Nou
La Liga1st
Copa del ReyWinners
Supercopa de EspañaRunners-up
UEFA Champions LeagueGroup stage (4th)
UEFA Super CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague:
Rivaldo (19)
All:
Rivaldo (28)

Barcelona had a marvelous second half of the season, in which it kept pace with La Liga championship leaders Real Madrid, then passing the Madrids when they had a couple of slips. In the end, a win in the 36th round was more than enough to clinch Barcelona's first league title in four years.

Squad
Squad at end of season[1]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  POR Vítor Baía
2 DF  ESP Albert Ferrer
3 DF  ESP Abelardo Fernández
4 MF  ESP Josep Guardiola (captain)
5 DF  POR Fernando Couto
6 MF  ESP Óscar García
7 MF  POR Luís Figo
8 FW  BUL Hristo Stoichkov
9 FW  BRA Sonny Anderson
10 MF  BRA Giovanni
11 MF  BRA Rivaldo
12 DF  ESP Sergi Barjuán
13 GK  NED Ruud Hesp
14 MF  NGA Emmanuel Amunike
15 FW  FRA Christophe Dugarry
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF  SCG Dragan Ćirić
17 DF  NED Winston Bogarde
18 MF  ESP Guillermo Amor
19 FW  ESP Juan Antonio Pizzi
20 DF  ESP Miguel Ángel Nadal
21 MF  ESP Luis Enrique
22 DF  NED Michael Reiziger
23 MF  ESP Iván de la Peña
25 GK  ESP Carles Busquets
26 MF  ESP Albert Celades
27 MF  ESP Roger García
28 DF  ESP Carles Puyol
29 MF  ESP Xavi Hernández
31 MF  ESP Mario Rosas
32 MF  ESP Jofre

Transfers
Name Nationality From/To Type
In
Sonny AndersonAS Monaco
RivaldoDeportivo La Coruña
Ruud HespRoda JC
Michael ReizigerAC Milan
Christophe DugarryAC Milan
Dragan ĆirićPartizan Belgrado
Out
RonaldoInternazionale
Laurent BlancOlympique Marseille
Gheorghe PopescuGalatasaray
Ángel CuéllarReal Betis
Julen LopeteguiRayo Vallecano
Goran VučevićFC Köln
Quique ÁlvarezLogroñésLoan

Winter
Name Nationality From/To Type
In
Winston BogardeAC Milan
Out
Christophe DugarryOlympique Marseille
Hristo StoichkovCSKA Sofia


Competitions

La Liga
Main article: 1997–98 La Liga

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Barcelona (C) 38 23 5 10 78 56 +22 74 Qualification for the Champions League group stage
2 Athletic Bilbao 38 17 14 7 52 42 +10 65 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
3 Real Sociedad 38 16 15 7 60 37 +23 63[lower-alpha 1] Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4 Real Madrid 38 17 12 9 63 45 +18 63[lower-alpha 1] Qualification for the Champions League group stage[lower-alpha 2]
5 Mallorca 38 16 12 10 55 39 +16 60[lower-alpha 3] Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[lower-alpha 4]
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.
(C) Champion.
Notes:
  1. RMA 2–0 RSO; RSO 4–2 RMA
  2. Real Madrid was qualified directly for the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League as holders.
  3. MLL: 9 pts; CEL: 5 pts; ATM: 2 pts
  4. Since Barcelona, winners of 1997–98 Copa del Rey, was qualified for the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, losing cup finalists RCD Mallorca earned a spot in the first round of the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Matches
31 August 1997 1 FC Barcelona 3-0 Real Sociedad Barcelona
Rivaldo 26' 80'
Giovanni 56'		 Report Stadium: Camp Nou
8 September 1997 2 Valencia CF 0-3 FC Barcelona Valencia
Report Anderson 1'
Rivaldo 37' (pen.)
de la Pena 81'		 Stadium: Estadio Mestalla
13 September 1997 3 FC Barcelona 2-1 Deportivo La Coruña Barcelona
Luis Enrique 23'
Anderson 87'		 Report Luizão 89' Stadium: Camp Nou
27 September 1997 4 Sporting de Gijon 1-4 FC Barcelona Gijon
Bango 30' Report Luis Enrique 2' 73'
Rivaldo 8' 82'		 Stadium: Estadio El Molinon
5 October 1997 5 FC Barcelona 3-2 CD Tenerife Barcelona
Óscar 6' 31'
Luis Enrique 50'		 Report Juanele 24'
Pablo Paz 28'		 Stadium: Camp Nou
14 October 1997 6 RCD Mallorca 0-1 FC Barcelona Palma de Mallorca
Report Luis Enrique 5' Stadium: Estadio Son Moix
18 October 1997 7 SD Compostela 2-2 FC Barcelona Santiago de Compostela
Penev 36'
Nacho 56'		 Report Óscar 59'
Rivaldo 73'
26 October 1997 8 FC Barcelona 2-0 Racing de Santander Barcelona
Óscar 51'
Luis Enrique 68'		 Report Stadium: Camp Nou
1 November 1997 9 Real Madrid 2-3 FC Barcelona Madrid
Raúl 48'
Šuker 61'		 Report Rivaldo 5'
Luis Enrique 50'
Giovanni 79'		 Stadium: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
9 November 1997 10 FC Barcelona 1-2 Real Valladolid Barcelona
Juan Pizzi 89' Report Eusebio 10'
Peternac 50'		 Stadium: Camp Nou
13 November 1997 11 Athletic de Bilbao 3-0 FC Barcelona Bilbao
Ziganda 40'
Alkiza 50'
Urzáiz 72'		 Report Stadium: Estadio San Mames
16 November 1997 12 FC Barcelona 3-2 Celta de Vigo Barcelona
Eggen 10' (own goal)
Rivaldo 60'
Juan Pizzi 66'		 Report Cadete 37'
Juan Sánchez 84'		 Stadium: Camp Nou
22 November 1997 13 Real Oviedo 1-0 FC Barcelona Oviedo
Roberto Pompei 67' (pen.) Report Stadium: Estadio Carlos Tartiere
1 December 1997 14 FC Barcelona 3-1 CP Merida Barcelona
Anderson 34'
Luis Enrique 70'
Rivaldo 73' (pen.)		 Report Sinval 81' (pen.) Stadium: Camp Nou
6 December 1997 15 Real Zaragoza 1-2 FC Barcelona Zaragoza
Aragón 54' Report Sergi Barjuan 17'
Rivaldo 30'		 Stadium: Estadio La Romareda
13 December 1997 16 FC Barcelona 3-1 RCD Espanyol Barcelona
Luis Enrique 24'
Giovanni 51'
Sergi Barjuan 72'		 Report Juan Esnáider 58' (pen.) Stadium: Camp Nou
20 December 1997 18 FC Barcelona 3-1 Atletico de Madrid Barcelona
Luis Enrique 48' 70'
Giovanni 65' (pen.)		 Report Roberto 21' Stadium: Camp Nou
5 January 1998 19 UD Salamanca 4-3 FC Barcelona Salamanca
Zegarra 43'
Brito 80' (pen.) 83'
Silvani 88'		 Report Anderson 12'
Luis Enrique 50'
Giovanni 68'
11 January 1998 20 Real Sociedad 2-2 FC Barcelona San Sebastian
Loren 82'
de Paula 89'		 Report Luis Enrique 30'
Anderson 70'		 Stadium: Estadio Anoeta
19 January 1998 21 FC Barcelona 3-4 Valencia CF Barcelona
Luis Enrique 32'
Rivaldo 49'
Cáceres 54' (o.g.)		 Report Morigi 69'
Claudio Lopez 75' 87'
Ariel Ortega 89'		 Stadium: Camp Nou
25 January 1998 22 Deportivo La Coruña 3-1 FC Barcelona La Coruña
Fran 3'
Abreu 75'
Djalminha 84'		 Report Donato 85' (o.g.) Stadium: Estadio Riazor
1 February 1998 23 FC Barcelona 2-1 Sporting de Gijon Barcelona
Rivaldo 18' 37' Report Cheryshev 35' Stadium: Camp Nou
8 February 1998 24 CD Tenerife 1-1 FC Barcelona Santa Cruz de la Palma
Jokanović 46' Report Rivaldo 44' Stadium: Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez
15 February 1998 25 FC Barcelona 0-0 RCD Mallorca Barcelona
Report Stadium: Camp Nou
22 February 1998 26 FC Barcelona 2-0 SD Compostela Barcelona
Luís Figo 14'
Luis Enrique 29'		 Report Stadium: Camp Nou
2 March 1998 27 Racing de Santander 2-4 FC Barcelona Santander
Correa 10' (pen.)
Alberto 80'		 Report Rivaldo 69' 72'
Anderson 82' 89'		 Stadium: Estadio El Sardinero
7 March 1998 28 FC Barcelona 3-0 Real Madrid Barcelona
Anderson 69'
Luís Figo 80'
Giovanni 85'		 Report Stadium: Camp Nou
15 March 1998 29 Real Valladolid 1-2 FC Barcelona Valladolid
Chema 12' Report Rivaldo 56'
Luís Figo 89'		 Stadium: Estadio Jose Zorrilla
22 March 1998 30 FC Barcelona 4-0 Athletic de Bilbao Barcelona
Giovanni 3'
Anderson 13' 47'
Óscar 79'		 Report Stadium: Camp Nou
29 March 1998 31 Celta de Vigo 3-1 FC Barcelona Vigo
Revivo 21'
Mostovoi 32'
Mazinho 70'		 Report Luis Enrique 27' Stadium: Estadio Balaidos
4 April 1998 32 FC Barcelona 2-1 Real Oviedo Barcelona
Luis Enrique 31'
Bogarde 41'		 Report Bogarde 69' (o.g.) Stadium: Camp Nou
7 April 1998 17 Real Betis 0-2 FC Barcelona Sevilla
Report Giovanni 52'
Rivaldo 59'		 Stadium: Estadio Benito Villamarin
11 April 1998 33 CP Merida 1-2 FC Barcelona Merida
Biagini 80' Report Luís Figo 66'
Luis Enrique 71'
18 April 1998 34 FC Barcelona 1-0 Real Zaragoza Barcelona
Giovanni 77' Report Stadium: Camp Nou
25 April 1998 35 RCD Espanyol 1-1 FC Barcelona Barcelona
Sergio 56' Report Luís Figo 37' Stadium: Lluys Company Montjuic
3 May 1998 36 FC Barcelona 1-3 Real Betis Barcelona
Bogarde 24' Report Alfonso 44'
George 58' 89'		 Stadium: Camp Nou
10 May 1998 37 Atletico de Madrid 5-2 FC Barcelona Madrid
Paunović 19'
Couto 25' (o.g.)
Vieri 60' 82'
Caminero 70'		 Report Rivaldo 12'
de la Pena 81'		 Stadium: Estadio Vicente Calderon
15 May 1998 38 FC Barcelona 1-4 UD Salamanca Barcelona
Jofre 89' Report Silvani 18'
Pauleta 52' 55'
Brito 72'		 Stadium: Camp Nou

Results

See also

References
  1. "FootballSquads - Barcelona - 1997/98". Archived from the original on 2013-07-13. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
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