2001–02 Valencia CF season

Valencia CF

2001–02 season
Manager	Rafael Benítez
La Liga	1st
UEFA Cup	Quarter-final
Copa del Rey	First round
Top goalscorer	Rubén Baraja (7)
Home colours Away colours
← 2000–01 2002–03 →

Valencia CF won their first La Liga title for more than 30 years, in the first season under new coach Rafael Benítez. The Tenerife recruit had a tough start to his job, with several dropped points and a midfield slot in the beginning of the season, culminating in a disqualification from Copa del Rey for fielding too many non-EU players. Benítez was reported to be near the sack before an away game against Espanyol. With Valencia trailing 2-0 at halftime, the resurgence of the team in the second half allowed the inexperienced coach to keep the job, and it got to be a starting point for a winning streak that eventually saw Valencia claiming the entire league, despite taking only 75 points and scoring a mere 51 goals.

With the attacking play not flowing as previously, the all-conquering defence improved further, conceding only 29 goals, much thanks to keeper Santiago Cañizares and centre halves Mauricio Pellegrino and Roberto Ayala. Defensively minded midfielder Rubén Baraja happened to be the club top scorer with a mere seven goals, forming an effective protecting block with David Albelda.

Squad

Goalkeepers

• Santiago Cañizares
• Andrés Palop
• David Rángel

Defenders

• Ángel Amarilla
• Fábio Aurélio
• Amedeo Carboni
• Mauricio Pellegrino
• Miroslav Đukić
• Roberto Ayala
• Jocelyn Angloma
• Carlos Marchena
• Curro Torres
• David Navarro

Midfielders

• Francisco Rufete
• Gonzalo de los Santos
• David Albelda
• Kily González
• Rubén Baraja
• Dennis Şerban
• Angulo
• Pablo Aimar
• Vicente

Attackers

• Salva
• John Carew
• Juan Sánchez
• Adrian Ilie
• Mista

Results

La Liga

• Valencia-Real Madrid 1-0
• 1-0 Angulo  8'
• Valladolid-Valencia 1-1
• 1-0 Caminero  30'
• 1-1 Salva  90'
• Valencia-Las Palmas 1-0
• 1-0 David Albelda  62'
• Athletic Bilbao-Valencia 2-2
• 0-1 Roberto Ayala  44'
• 0-2 Pablo Aimar  47'
• 1-2 Joseba Etxeberría  64'
• 2-2 Carlos García  90'
• Valencia-Alavés 0-0
• Celta Vigo-Valencia 1-1
• 0-1 Juan Sánchez  6'
• 1-1 Florian Maurice  48'
• Valencia-Villarreal 1-0
• 1-0 Salva  45'
• Barcelona-Valencia 2-2
• 0-1 Salva  26'
• 1-1 Javier Saviola  43'
• 1-2 Carlos Marchena  72'
• 2-2 Gabri  74'
• Valencia-Real Zaragoza 2-0
• 1-0 Kily González  32'
• 2-0 Kily González  80'
• Sevilla-Valencia 1-1
• 0-1 David Albelda  20'
• 1-1 Moisés  46'
• Valencia-Rayo Vallecano 2-1
• 1-0 Salva  22'
• 1-1 Roberto Peragón  40' (pen.)
• 2-1 Juan Sánchez  88'
• Osasuna-Valencia 0-0
• Valencia-Tenerife 0-0
• Real Sociedad-Valencia 2-0
• 1-0 Edgaras Jankauskas  38'
• 2-0 Edgaras Jankauskas  65' (pen.)
• Valencia-Mallorca 1-1
• 0-1 Albert Luque  13'
• 1-1 Mista  80'
• Deportivo-Valencia 1-0
• 1-0 Diego Tristán  59'
• Espanyol-Valencia 2-3
• 1-0 Francisco Palencia  24'
• 2-0 Alex Fernández  44'
• 2-1 Francisco Rufete  59'
• 2-2 Francisco Rufete  63'
• 2-3 Adrian Ilie  66'
• Valencia-Málaga 2-1
• 0-1 Darío Silva  14'
• 1-1 Vicente  25'
• 2-1 Mista  30'
• Betis-Valencia 1-3
• 0-1 Salva  8'
• 0-2 Adrian Ilie  16'
• 1-2 Capi  43'
• 1-3 Rubén Baraja  80' (pen.)
• Real Madrid-Valencia 1-0
• 1-0 Fernando Morientes  72'
• Valencia-Valladolid 1-2
• 0-1 Luis García  20'
• 1-1 Mauricio Pellegrino  26'
• 1-2 Fernando Sales  35'
• Las Palmas-Valencia 0-1
• 0-1 Mista  7'
• Valencia-Athletic Bilbao 2-1
• 1-0 Mista  14'
• 2-0 Francisco Rufete  66'
• 2-1 Joseba Etxeberría  73'
• Alavés-Valencia 1-2
• 1-0 Martín Estudillo  2'
• 1-1 Gonzalo de los Santos  3'
• 1-2 John Carew  27'
• Valencia-Celta Vigo 0-0
• Villareal-Valencia 1-1
• 1-0 Rodolfo Arruabarrena  54'
• 1-1 Pablo Aimar  83'
• Valencia-Barcelona 2-0
• 1-0 Francisco Rufete  16'
• 2-0 Pablo Aimar  63'
• Real Zaragoza-Valencia 0-1
• 0-1 Francisco Rufete  24'
• Valencia-Sevilla 2-0
• 1-0 Juan Sánchez  66'
• 2-0 Angulo  89'
• Rayo Vallecano-Valencia 2-1
• 0-1 Angulo  29'
• 1-1 Mauricio Pellegrino  45' (o.g.)
• 2-1 Sergio Corino  58'
• Valencia-Osasuna 2-1
• 1-0 Juan Sánchez  78'
• 1-1 John Aloisi  85'
• 2-1 Rubén Baraja  90'
• Tenerife-Valencia 0-1
• 0-1 Pablo Aimar  77'
• Valencia-Real Sociedad 4-0
• 1-0 Rubén Baraja  12'
• 2-0 Kily González  28'
• 3-0 Angulo  55'
• 4-0 Mista  89'
• Mallorca-Valencia 1-1
• 1-0 Albert Luque  45'
• 1-1 Rubén Baraja  63'
• Valencia-Deportivo 1-0
• 1-0 Aldo Duscher  69' (o.g.)
• Valencia-Espanyol 2-1
• 0-1 Raúl Tamudo  30' (pen.)
• 1-1 Rubén Baraja  68'
• 2-1 Rubén Baraja  79'
• Málaga-Valencia 0-2
• 0-1 Roberto Ayala  35'
• 0-2 Fábio Aurélio  45'
• Valencia-Betis 2-0
• 1-0 Rubén Baraja  44'
• 2-0 Vicente  90'

Top scorers

La Liga

• Rubén Baraja 7
• Salva 5
• Francisco Rufete 5
• Angulo 4
• Pablo Aimar 4
• Mista 4