| 1998–99 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Pedro Cortés | ||
| Manager | Claudio Ranieri | ||
| Stadium | Mestalla | ||
| La Liga | 4th | ||
| Copa del Rey | Winners | ||
| UEFA Cup | Second round | ||
| Top goalscorer | Claudio López (21) | ||
|  | |||
Valencia CF had a successful season, finishing in the top four of La Liga, and thus qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in almost thirty years, thanks to the extension of the competition to include more teams from the top leagues. Valencia also won the Copa del Rey, ending a long trophy drought and marking a successful end to Italian coach Claudio Ranieri's first spell at the club. Among the main players behind the success included Gaizka Mendieta, Javier Farinós and lethal striker Claudio López.
At the end of the season, Ranieri left to manage Atlético Madrid; he was replaced by Argentine Héctor Cúper, who had led Mallorca to third place and the Cup Winners' Cup final.
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.
| 
 | 
 | 
Transfers
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | To | Type | 
| GK | Andoni Zubizarreta | retired | |
| MF | Fernando | retired | |
| FW | Ariel Ortega | Sampdoria | €2.60 million | 
| DF | Fernando Cáceres | Celta Vigo | |
| GK | Gustavo Campagnuolo | San Lorenzo | |
| DF | Moussa Saib | Tottenham Hotspur | €4.00 million | 
| MF | José del Solar | Beşiktaş | |
| MF | Gerard López | Alavés | loan | 
| MF | Marcelinho Carioca | Corinthians | |
| MF | David Albelda | Villarreal | 'loan | 
| DF | Oscar Tellez | Villarreal | loan | 
| FW | Nicolás Olivera | Sevilla | |
| MF | Sabin Ilie | Lleida | loan | 
Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| 
 | 
 | 
Competitions
La Liga
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Real Madrid | 38 | 21 | 5 | 12 | 77 | 62 | +15 | 68 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage | 
| 3 | Mallorca | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 48 | 31 | +17 | 66 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round | 
| 4 | Valencia | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 63 | 39 | +24 | 65 | |
| 5 | Celta de Vigo | 38 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 69 | 41 | +28 | 64 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round | 
| 6 | Deportivo La Coruña | 38 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 55 | 43 | +12 | 63 | 
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.
Results by round
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; = Leader, 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League group stage; = 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League group stage; = 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League qualifying round; = 1999–2000 UEFA Cup; = 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup; = 1999–2000 Segunda División
Matches
| 28 August 1998 1 | Valencia | 1-0 | Atlético Madrid | Valencia | 
| Angulo  65' | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 19 September 1998 3 | Valencia | 1-0 | Villarreal | Valencia | 
| Angulo  45' | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 25 September 1998 4 | Valladolid | 3-1 | Valencia | Valladolid | 
| Peternac  35' Javi Torres  37' Alberto Marcos  88' | Report | Angulo  31' | Stadium: Estadio Jose Zorrilla | 
| 2 October 1998 5 | Valencia | 1-3 | Barcelona | Valencia | 
| Piojo López  14' | Report | Kluivert  55' Rivaldo  73' Anderson  90' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 16 October 1998 6 | Athletic Bilbao | 2-0 | Valencia | Bilbao | 
| Urzaiz  27' Guerrero  51' | Report | Stadium: Estadio San Mames | 
| 24 October 1998 7 | Valencia | 5-1 | Betis | Valencia | 
| Piojo López  29' Ilie  42' Schwarz  67' Piojo López  73' Ilie  82' | Report | Alexis  33' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 30 October 1998 8 | Real Zaragoza | 1-4 | Valencia | Zaragoza | 
| Kily González  24' | Report | Ilie  3' Lucarelli  68' Schwarz  78' Mendieta  85' | Stadium: Estadio La Romareda | 
| 7 November 1998 9 | Valencia | 3-0 | Racing Santander | Valencia | 
| Djukic  46' Schwarz  47' Piojo López  62' | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 14 November 1998 10 | Extremadura | 1-0 | Valencia | Extremadura | 
| Toril  60' | Report | 
| 20 November 1998 11 | Valencia | 3-1 | Real Madrid | Valencia | 
| Angulo  35' Claudio López  62' Claudio López  74' | Report | Sávio  57' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 28 November 1998 12 | Celta Vigo | 2-2 | Valencia | Vigo | 
| Mostovoi  34' Adrian Ilie  66' | Report | Popescu  23' Juan Sánchez  56' | Stadium: Estadio Balaídos | 
| 5 December 1998 13 | Alavés | 0-1 | Valencia | Vitoria | 
| Report | Claudio López  65' | 
| 19 December 1998 15 | Espanyol | 2-1 | Valencia | Barcelona | 
| Joan Capdevila  35' Cristóbal  75' | Report | Javier Farinós  42' | Stadium: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | 
| 1 January 1999 16 | Valencia | 2-0 | Real Sociedad | Valencia | 
| Stefan Schwarz  19' Claudio López  60' | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 9 January 1999 17 | Real Oviedo | 2-2 | Valencia | Oviedo | 
| Julio Dely Valdés  9' Julio Dely Valdés  33' | Report | Joyce Moreno  22' (o.g.) Luis Milla  90' | Stadium: Estadio Carlos Tartiere | 
| 16 January 1999 18 | Valencia | 1-1 | Tenerife | Valencia | 
| Claudio López  37' (pen.) | Report | Juanele  68' (pen.) | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 23 January 1999 19 | Mallorca | 0-1 | Valencia | Palma de Mallorca | 
| Report | Claudio López  49' | 
| 29 January 1999 20 | Atlético Madrid | 1-2 | Valencia | Madrid | 
| José Mari  18' | Report | Piojo López  12' Angulo  27' | Stadium: Estadio Vicente Calderón | 
| 5 February 1999 21 | Valencia | 0-0 | Deportivo | Valencia | 
| Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 13 February 1999 22 | Villarreal | 1-0 | Valencia | Villarreal | 
| Gheorghe Craioveanu  90' | Report | Stadium: Estadio de la Ceramica | 
| 20 February 1999 23 | Valencia | 0-1 | Valladolid | Valencia | 
| Report | Alen Peternac  80' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 26 February 1999 24 | Barcelona | 2-4 | Valencia | Barcelona | 
| Patrick Kluivert  30' Patrick Kluivert  78' | Report | Ilie  4' Piojo López  37' Angulo  82' Piojo López  87' | Stadium: Camp Nou | 
| 6 March 1999 25 | Valencia | 4-1 | Athletic Bilbao | Valencia | 
| Ilie  53' Angloma  67' Ilie  73' (pen) Claudio Piojo López  85' | Report | Ismael Urzaiz  36' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 12 March 1999 26 | Betis | 0-1 | Valencia | Sevilla | 
| Report | Gaizka Mendieta  43' | Stadium: Estadio Benito Villamarin | 
| 20 March 1999 27 | Valencia | 1-1 | Real Zaragoza | Valencia | 
| Adrian Ilie  48' | Report | Gustavo López  18' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 2 April 1999 28 | Racing Santander | 0-1 | Valencia | Santander | 
| Report | Björklund  80' | Stadium: Estadio El Sardinero | 
| 10 April 1999 29 | Valencia | 1-1 | Extremadura | Valencia | 
| Serban  64' | Report | Esposito  62' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 17 April 1999 30 | Real Madrid | 3-1 | Valencia | Madrid | 
| Morientes  11' Raúl  30' Raúl  70' | Report | Mendieta  69' | Stadium: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu | 
| 23 April 1999 31 | Valencia | 2-2 | Celta Vigo | Valencia | 
| Vlaovic  12' Farinos  90' | Report | Juan Sánchez  41' Karpin  90' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 30 April 1999 32 | Valencia | 5-0 | Alavés | Valencia | 
| Piojo López  19' Mendieta  33' Piojo López  56' Piojo López  71' Mendieta  81' | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 15 May 1999 34 | Valencia | 1-2 | Espanyol | Valencia | 
| Piojo López  90' | Report | Tamudo  71' Posse  90' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 22 May 1999 35 | Real Sociedad | 1-1 | Valencia | San Sebastián | 
| Kovacevic  74' | Report | Ilie  90' | Stadium: Estadio Anoeta | 
| 28 May 1999 36 | Valencia | 3-0 | Real Oviedo | Valencia | 
| Mendieta  44' (pen.) Piojo López  60' Piojo López  76' (pen.) | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
| 12 June 1999 37 | Tenerife | 3-2 | Valencia | Santa Cruz de La Palma | 
| Pier  32' Makaay  59' Pier  70' | Report | Angulo  3' Piojo López  87' | Stadium: Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez | 
Top scorers
 Claudio López 21 Claudio López 21
 Adrian Ilie 11 Adrian Ilie 11
 Angulo 8 Angulo 8
 Gaizka Mendieta 7 Gaizka Mendieta 7
 Stefan Schwarz 4 Stefan Schwarz 4
Copa del Rey
Eightfinals
| 19 January 1999 | Levante UD | 0-3 | Valencia | Valencia | 
| Report | Navarro  5' Navarro  63' Mendieta  85' | Stadium: Estadio Ciudad de Valencia | 
Quarterfinals
| 17 February 1999 | FC Barcelona | 2-3 | Valencia | Barcelona | 
| Kluivert  47' Rivaldo  60' | Report | Piojo Lopez  51' Piojo Lopez  56' Mendieta  80' | Stadium: Camp Nou | 
| 23 February 1999 | Valencia CF | 4-3 | FC Barcelona | Valencia | 
| Piojo Lopez  23' Piojo Lopez  35' Angulo  42' Mendieta  69' | Report | Rivaldo  57' Óscar  63' de Boer  81' | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla | 
Semifinals
| 9 June 1999 | Valencia | 6–0 | Real Madrid | Valencia | 
| Piojo Lopez  19' Roche  31' Vlaović  34' Roche  42' Piojo Lopez  54' Mendieta  72' | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla Referee: Antonio Jesús López Nieto | 
| 16 June 1999 | Real Madrid | 2–1 | Valencia | Madrid | 
| Sávio  7' Predrag Mijatović  53' | Report | Piojo Lopez  85' | Stadium: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Referee: Manuel Díaz Vega | 
Final
| 26 June 1999 | Atlético Madrid | 0 – 3 | Valencia | Sevilla | 
| 21:30 CEST | Copa del Rey 1999 | Piojo López  22', 81' Mendieta  33' | Stadium: La Cartuja Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Manuel Díaz Vega | 
UEFA Intertoto Cup
Quarterfinals
| 18 July 1998 | Valencia   | 4–1 |  Shinnik Yaroslavl | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| Farinós  11' Roche  25' C. López  48', 87' | Report | Serebrennikov  50' | Attendance: 3,500 Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy) | 
| 25 July 1998 | Shinnik Yaroslavl   | 1–0 |  Valencia | Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl | 
| Yuminov  12' | Report | Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Knud Erik Fisker (Denmark) | 
Semifinals
| 29 July 1998 | Espanyol   | 0–1 |  Valencia | Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Barcelona | 
| 21:30 | Report | C. López  44' | Attendance: 15,200 Referee: Lutz Michael Fröhlich (Germany) | 
| 5 August 1998 | Valencia   | 2–0 |  Espanyol | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| 21:30 | C. López  40', 79' | Report | Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Graham Poll (England) | 
Finals
| 11 August 1998 | Austria Salzburg   | 0–2 |  Valencia | Stadion Lehen, Salzburg | 
| 19:00 | Report | Angulo  6' Schwarz  44' | Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Metin Tokat (Turkey) | 
| 25 August 1998 | Valencia   | 2–1 |  Austria Salzburg | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| 22:00 | Lucarelli  17' Roche  36' | Report | Hütter  84' | Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Karl-Erik Nilsson (Sweden) | 
UEFA Cup
First round
| 15 September 1998 | Steaua Bucharest   | 3–4 |  Valencia | Bucharest | 
| 20:30 (CET) | Lincar  30' Roşu  60' Dumitrescu  84' | Report | Ilie  11', 24' Angulo  78', 86' | Stadium: Stadionul Steaua Attendance: 12,000 Referee: .svg.png.webp) Urs Meier | 
| 29 September 1998 | Valencia   | 3–0 |  Steaua Bucharest | Valencia | 
| 21:30 (CET) | Roche  52' López  56' Lucarelli  89' | Report | Stadium: Estadio Mestalla Attendance: 15,000 Referee:  Ryszard Wójcik | 
Second round
Statistics
Players statistics
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | La Liga | Copa del Rey | UEFA Cup | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| 1 | GK |  ESP | Cañizares | 48 | -51 | 38 | -39 | 6 | -7 | 4 | -5 | 
| 16 | DF |  FRA | Roche | 37 | 3 | 25+4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 
| 5 | DF |  SRB | Djukic | 41 | 1 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 
| 14 | DF |  SWE | Bjorklund | 33 | 1 | 23+1 | 1 | 4+1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 
| 15 | DF |  ITA | Carboni | 46 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 
| 6 | MF |  ESP | Mendieta | 48 | 12 | 36+1 | 7 | 6+1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 
| 8 | MF |  ESP | Farinos | 41 | 2 | 28+4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 
| 21 | MF |  ESP | Luis Milla | 39 | 1 | 28+3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 
| 23 | FW |  ESP | Angulo | 46 | 12 | 31+5 | 8 | 5+1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 
| 11 | FW |  ROU | Ilie | 32 | 12 | 22+2 | 10 | 2+2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 
| 7 | FW |  ARG | Claudio López | 42 | 32 | 31+1 | 21 | 5+1 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 
| 13 | GK |  ESP | Bartual | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 10 | MF |  SWE | Schwarz | 33 | 4 | 22+8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 
| 20 | DF |  FRA | Angloma | 36 | 2 | 22+7 | 1 | 5+1 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 
| 3 | DF |  ESP | Juanfran | 27 | 0 | 15+6 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 
| 18 | MF |  ROU | Popescu | 35 | 1 | 5+20 | 1 | 2+4 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 
| 19 | FW |  CRO | Vlaovic | 23 | 3 | 11+9 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 25 | DF |  ESP | Soria | 17 | 0 | 6+4 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 
| 9 | FW |  ITA | Lucarelli | 15 | 1 | 4+8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 
| 22 | MF |  ROU | Serban | 10 | 1 | 0+10 | 1 | ||||
| 4 | DF |  ESP | Camarasa | 5 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | ||
| 30 | FW |  ESP | Navarro | 6 | 2 | 0+4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 31 | FW |  ESP | Jandro | 4 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | ||
| 2 | DF |  ESP | Navarro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 12 | MF |  ARG | Morigi | ||||||||
| 17 | DF |  ROU | Ilie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 24 | DF |  ESP | Tellez | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 26 | GK |  ESP | Jonathan | ||||||||
| 27 | DF |  ESP | Curro Torres | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | ||
| 28 | MF |  ESP | Porras | ||||||||
| 29 | DF |  ESP | Perez | ||||||||
| 32 | MF |  ESP | Soto | ||||||||
- Source:















