1998–99 Athletic Bilbao season

Athletic Bilbao

1998–99 season
La Liga	8th
Copa del Rey	Round of 16
UEFA Champions League	Group stage
Top goalscorer	League: Ismael Urzaiz (16) All: Ismael Urzaiz (17)
Home colours Away colours
←  1997–98 1999–2000  →

Season summary

Athletic had finished second the previous season, and though they gathered only five points fewer - all from losing instead of drawing games - this was enough to drag them down to 8th place.

The club had applied and qualified for the Intertoto Cup, but in the end declined to enter the competition.

Squad

Squad at end of season ^[1]

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   ESP Juan José Valencia 4 DF   ESP Rafael Alkorta 5 MF   ESP Felipe 6 MF   ESP Josu Urrutia 7 MF   ESP Andoni Imaz 8 MF   ESP Julen Guerrero 9 FW   ESP Santiago Ezquerro 10 DF   ESP Aitor Larrazabal 11 DF   ESP Jesús María Lacruz 12 DF   ESP Carlos García 13 GK   ESP Imanol Etxeberria 14 MF   ESP José Mari 15 DF   ESP Patxi Ferreira

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 MF   ESP Txomin Nagore 17 MF   ESP Joseba Etxeberria 18 MF   ESP Bittor Alkiza 19 DF   ESP Mikel Lasa 20 FW   ESP Ismael Urzaiz 21 DF   ESP Iñigo Larrainzar 22 MF   ESP Javi González 23 MF   ESP Jorge Pérez 24 DF   ESP Roberto Ríos 26 GK   ESP Daniel Aranzubia 27 DF   ESP César 32 MF   ESP Francisco Yeste

Left club during season

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 25 FW   ESP Bolo (to Rayo Vallecano)

La Liga

Main article: 1998–99 La Liga

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
6	Deportivo La Coruña	38	17	12	9	55	43	+12	63	Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
7	Espanyol	38	16	13	9	49	38	+11	61	Qualification for the Intertoto Cup third round
8	Athletic Bilbao [a]	38	17	9	12	53	47	+6	60
9	Zaragoza	38	16	9	13	57	46	+11	57
10	Real Sociedad	38	14	12	12	47	43	+4	54

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. Despite being qualified and registered, Athletic Bilbao refused to play Intertoto

Results

Champions League

Group stage

Athletic Bilbao v Rosenborg

16 September 1998	Athletic Bilbao	1–1	Rosenborg	San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
20:45	Etxeberria 7'	Report	Strand 64'	Attendance: 36,000 Referee: Vasyl Melnychuk (Ukraine)

Galatasaray v Athletic Bilbao

30 September 1998	Galatasaray	2–1	Athletic Bilbao	Ali Sami Yen Stadium, Istanbul
20:45	Okan 16' Hagi 90+3'	Report	Urzaiz 17'	Attendance: 19,828 Referee: Graham Poll (England)

Athletic Bilbao v Juventus

21 October 1998	Athletic Bilbao	0–0	Juventus	San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
20:45		Report		Attendance: 39,000 Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark)

Juventus v Athletic Bilbao

4 November 1998	Juventus	1–1	Athletic Bilbao	Stadio delle Alpi, Turin
20:45	Lasa 68' (o.g.)	Report	Guerrero 45'	Attendance: 44,584 Referee: Hugh Dallas (Scotland)

Rosenborg v Athletic Bilbao

25 November 1998	Rosenborg	2–1	Athletic Bilbao	Lerkendal Stadion, Trondheim
20:45	Sørensen 2', 50'	Report	Pérez 90'	Attendance: 15,454 Referee: Bernd Heynemann (Germany)

Athletic Bilbao v Galatasaray

9 December 1998	Athletic Bilbao	1–0	Galatasaray	San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
20:45	Guerrero 44'	Report		Attendance: 16,000 Referee: Urs Meier (Switzerland)

See also

• 1998–99 Copa del Rey
• Athletic Bilbao in European football

References

1. "FootballSquads - Athletic Bilbao - 1998/99" . Retrieved 2016-06-07.