2002–03 Valencia CF season

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.

Valencia CF

2002–03 season
President	Jaime Ortí
Manager	Rafael Benítez
Stadium	Mestalla
La Liga	5th
Copa del Rey	Second round
Supercopa de España	Runners-up
UEFA Champions League	Quarter-finals
Top goalscorer	League: Pablo Aimar Fábio Aurélio John Carew (8 each) All: John Carew (13)
Home colours Away colours

Squad

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	ESP	Santiago Cañizares
2	DF	ARG	Mauricio Pellegrino
3	DF	BRA	Fábio Aurélio
4	DF	ARG	Roberto Ayala
5	DF	SCG	Miroslav Đukić
6	MF	ESP	David Albelda
7	FW	NOR	John Carew
8	MF	ESP	Rubén Baraja
9	FW	ESP	Salva
10	MF	ESP	Angulo
11	FW	ESP	Juan Sánchez
12	DF	ESP	Carlos Marchena
13	GK	ESP	Andrés Palop
14	MF	ESP	Vicente
15	DF	ITA	Amedeo Carboni
16	MF	ROU	Dennis Șerban
17	MF	FRA	Anthony Réveillère

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	MF	ARG	Kily González
19	MF	ESP	Francisco Rufete
20	FW	ESP	Mista
21	MF	ARG	Pablo Aimar
22	MF	URU	Gonzalo de los Santos
23	DF	ESP	Curro Torres
27	DF	ESP	David Navarro
28	GK	ESP	David Rángel
30	FW	ESP	Borja
31	DF	ESP	Miguel Albiol
34	MF	ESP	Javier Garrido
36	DF	FRA	Dorothée
37	MF	ESP	Redondo
39	MF	ESP	Gavilan
40	DF	ESP	Soriano
—	DF	PAR	Ángel Amarilla

Transfers

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

Out
Pos.	Name	To	Type
FW	Adrian Ilie	Deportivo Alavés
DF	Jocelyn Angloma	L'Étoile de Morne-à-l'Eau
FW	Salva	Bolton Wanderers
MF	Dennis Șerban	Córdoba CF
DF	Ángel Amarilla	Racing Club

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

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38
Ground	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A
Result	W	W	D	W	L	D	W	W	D	L	W	D	W	W	L	L	D	W	W	W	D	W	W	D	L	L	D	L	W	L	W	L	L	W	L	D	L	W
Position	3	1	2	1	5	4	2	2	2	3	3	3	2	2	3	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	4	4	4	4	4	5	4	4	5	4	5	5	5	5

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

Mallorca v Valencia

1 September 2002 1	Mallorca	0-2	Valencia
			Gonzalo de los Santos 11' Rubén Baraja 57'

Valencia v Recreativo

14 September 2002 2	Valencia	3-0	Recreativo	Valencia
	Vicente 10' John Carew 88' John Carew 90'			Stadium: Mestalla

Málaga v Valencia

22 September 2002 3	Málaga	2-2	Valencia
	Manu 26' Mikel Roteta 30'		Mista 47' Angulo 90'

Valencia v Rayo Vallecano

29 September 2002 4	Valencia	3-0	Rayo Vallecano	Valencia
	Mista 34' Rubén Baraja 45' (pen.) Angulo 86'			Stadium: Mestalla

Valencia v Celta Vigo

6 October 2002 5	Valencia	0-1	Celta Vigo	Valencia
			Vágner 90'	Stadium: Mestalla

Atlético Madrid v Valencia

19 October 2002 6	Atlético Madrid	1-1	Valencia
	Javi Moreno 75'	Report	Mauricio Pellegrino 40'

Valencia v Athletic Bilbao

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

Espanyol v Valencia

3 November 2002 8	Espanyol	0-1	Valencia
		Report	Fábio Aurélio 74'

Valencia v Betis

9 November 2002 9	Valencia	1-1	Betis	Valencia
	Pablo Aimar 81'	Report	Marcos Assunção 70'	Stadium: Mestalla

Osasuna v Valencia

17 November 2002 10	Osasuna	1-0	Valencia	Pamplona
	Iván Rosado 6'	Report

Valencia v Valladolid

24 November 2002 11	Valencia	2-0	Valladolid	Valencia
	Mista 10' Mista 30'	Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Deportivo Alavés v Valencia

1 December 2002 12	Deportivo Alavés	0-0	Valencia
		Report

Valencia v Racing Santander

7 December 2002 13	Valencia	2-0	Racing Santander	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Villarreal CF v Valencia

14 December 2002 14	Villarreal CF	0-2	Valencia
		Report

Valencia v Deportivo La Coruña

22 December 2002 15	Valencia	0-1	Deportivo La Coruña	Valencia
				Stadium: Mestalla

Real Madrid v Valencia

5 January 2003 16	Real Madrid	4-1	Valencia	Madrid
				Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu

Valencia v Real Sociedad

11 January 2003 17	Valencia	2-2	Real Sociedad	Valencia
				Stadium: Mestalla

FC Barcelona v Valencia

18 January 2003 18	FC Barcelona	2-4	Valencia	Barcelona
				Stadium: Camp Nou

Valencia v Sevilla CF

26 January 2003 19	Valencia	1-0	Sevilla CF	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Valencia v RCD Mallorca

2 February 2003 20	Valencia	1-0	RCD Mallorca	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Recreativo Huelva v Valencia

9 February 2003 21

Recreativo Huelva

1-1

Valencia

Huelva

Valencia v Málaga CF

15 February 2003 22	Valencia	2-0	Málaga CF	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Rayo Vallecano v Valencia

23 February 2003 23

Rayo Vallecano

0-4

Valencia

Vallecas

Celta Vigo v Valencia

2 March 2003 24	Celta Vigo	1-1	Valencia	Vigo
		Report		Stadium: Balaídos

Valencia v Atlético Madrid

8 March 2003 25	Valencia	0-1	Atlético Madrid	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Athletic Bilbao v Valencia

16 March 2003 26	Athletic Bilbao	1-0	Valencia	Bilbao
		Report		Stadium: San Mames

Valencia v RCD Espanyol

23 March 2003 27	Valencia	1-1	RCD Espanyol	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Real Betis v Valencia

5 April 2003 28	Real Betis	2-0	Valencia	Sevilla
				Stadium: Benito Villamarin

Valencia v Osasuna

13 April 2003 29	Valencia	1-0	Osasuna	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Real Valladolid v Valencia

19 April 2003 30	Real Valladolid	1-0	Valencia	Valladolid
		Report		Stadium: Jose Zorrilla

Valencia v Deportivo Alavés

27 April 2003 31	Valencia	3-0	Deportivo Alavés	Valencia
				Stadium: Mestalla

Racing Santander v Valencia

4 May 2003 32	Racing Santander	2-1	Valencia	Santander
		Report		Stadium: El Sardinero

Valencia v Villarreal CF

11 May 2003 33	Valencia	1-2	Villarreal CF	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Deportivo La Coruña v Valencia

17 May 2003 34	Deportivo La Coruña	1-2	Valencia	La Coruña
		Report		Stadium: Riazor

Valencia v Real Madrid

24 May 2003 35	Valencia	1-2	Real Madrid	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Real Sociedad v Valencia

1 June 2003 36	Real Sociedad	1-1	Valencia	San Sebastián
		Report		Stadium: Anoeta

Valencia v FC Barcelona

15 June 2003 37	Valencia	1-3	FC Barcelona	Valencia
		Report		Stadium: Mestalla

Sevilla CF v Valencia

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

Gimnàstic de Tarragona v Valencia

11 September 2002

Gimnàstic de Tarragona

0-0 (4-5 p)

Valencia

Round of 32

Alicante v Valencia

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	Valencia	6	5	1	0	17	4	+13	16	Advance to second group stage
2	Basel	6	2	3	1	12	12	0	9
3	Liverpool	6	2	2	2	12	8	+4	8	Transfer to UEFA Cup
4	Spartak Moscow	6	0	0	6	1	18	−17	0

Source: RSSSF

Valencia v Liverpool

17 September 2002	Valencia	2–0	Liverpool	Valencia
20:45 (20:45 UTC+2)	Aimar 20' Baraja 38'	Report		Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 35,333 Referee: Herbert Fandel

Spartak Moscow v Valencia

25 September 2002	Spartak Moscow	0–3	Valencia	Moscow
18:00 (20:00 UTC+4)		Report	Angulo 6' Mista 71' Juan Sánchez 85'	Stadium: Dynamo Stadium Attendance: 10,500 Referee: Stéphane Bré

Valencia v Basel

2 October 2002	Valencia	6–2	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: Cosimo Bolognino

Basel v Valencia

22 October 2002	Basel	2–2	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: Helmut Fleischer

Liverpool v Valencia

30 October 2002	Liverpool	0–1	Valencia	Liverpool
20:45 (19:45 UTC±0)		Report	Rufete 34'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 41,831 Referee: Terje Hauge

Valencia v Spartak Moscow

12 November 2002	Valencia	3–0	Spartak Moscow	Valencia
20:45 (20:45 UTC+1)	Juan Sánchez 38', 46' Aurélio 78'	Report		Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 27,000 Referee: Georgios Kasnaferis

Second group stage

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Valencia	6	2	3	1	5	6	−1	9	Advance to knockout stage
2	Ajax	6	1	5	0	6	5	+1	8
3	Arsenal	6	1	4	1	6	5	+1	7
4	Roma	6	1	2	3	7	8	−1	5

Source: RSSSF

Valencia v Ajax

27 November 2002	Valencia	1–1	Ajax	Valencia
20:45 (20:45 UTC+1)	Angulo 90'	Report	Ibrahimović 89'	Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 32,164 Referee: Gilles Veissière (France)

Arsenal v Valencia

10 December 2002	Arsenal	0–0	Valencia	London
20:45 (19:45 UTC±0)		Report		Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 34,793 Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen

Roma v Valencia

18 February 2003	Roma	0–1	Valencia	Rome
20:45 (20:45 UTC+1)		Report	Carew 78'	Stadium: Stadio Olimpico Attendance: 30,599 Referee: Wolfgang Stark

Valencia v Roma

26 February 2003	Valencia	0–3	Roma	Valencia
20:45 (20:45 UTC+1)		Report	Totti 24', 30' Emerson 36'	Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 35,175 Referee: Frank De Bleeckere

Ajax v Valencia

11 March 2003	Ajax	1–1	Valencia	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
20:45 (20:45 UTC+1)	Pasanen 56'	Report	Kily González 28' (pen.)	Attendance: 48,633 Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)

Valencia v Arsenal

19 March 2003	Valencia	2–1	Arsenal	Valencia
20:45 (20:45 UTC+1)	Carew 34', 57'	Report	Henry 49'	Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 44,151 Referee: Kyros Vassaras

Quarter-finals

Internazionale v Valencia

9 April 2003	Internazionale	1–0	Valencia	Milano
20:45 (20:45 UTC+2)	Vieri 14'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 52,623 Referee: Markus Merk

Valencia v Internazionale

22 April 2003	Valencia	2–1	Internazionale	Valencia
20:45 (20:45 UTC+2)	Aimar 7' Baraja 51'	Report	Vieri 5'	Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 43,802 Referee: 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	ESP	Cañizares	43	-39	31	-27	0	0	12	-12
15	DF	ITA	Carboni	41	0	24+5	0	0+1	0	10+1	0
4	DF	ARG	Ayala	43	1	31	1	0	0	12	0
2	DF	ARG	Pellegrino	41	1	26+2	1	1+1	0	11	0
3	DF	BRA	Fábio Aurélio	37	10	23+4	8	2	0	4+4	2
8	DM	ESP	Baraja	48	9	30+5	5	1	0	12	4
6	DM	ESP	Albelda	37	0	23+3	0	0	0	11	0
19	MF	ESP	Rufete	40	4	26+2	3	1	0	8+3	1
21	AM	ARG	Aimar	44	11	29+2	8	1+1	0	10+1	3
14	MF	ESP	Vicente	39	1	26+2	1	0	0	10+1	0
7	FW	NOR	Carew	46	13	25+7	8	1	0	12+1	5
13	GK	ESP	Palop	14	-11	7+2	-8	2	-3	2+1	0
12	DF	ESP	Marchena	37	0	22+4	0	1+1	0	4+5	0
10	FW	ESP	Angulo	37	6	15+9	4	1+1	0	6+5	2
20	FW	ESP	Mista	39	11	10+17	7	1	2	3+8	2
11	FW	ESP	Juan Sánchez	36	9	9+17	5	1	1	5+4	3
17	MF	FRA	Réveillère	24	1	17+1	1	0	0	6	0
22	MF	URU	de los Santos	23	1	11+6	1	2	0	2+2	0
23	DF	ESP	Curro Torres	22	1	14	0	1	0	7	1
5	DF	SCG	Djukic	10	0	6+2	0	1	0	1	0
18	MF	ARG	Kily González	20	1	4+9	0	1	0	4+2	1
34	MF	ESP	Garrido	9	0	5+1	0	1	0	1+1	0
27	DF	ESP	Navarro	6	0	2+1	0	2	0	0+1	0
30	FW	ESP	Borja	4	0	1+2	0	1	0
9	FW	ESP	Salva	4	0	1+1	0	0+1	0	1	0
29	MF	ESP	Enguix	2	0	0+2	0
39	MF	ESP	Gavilan	2	0	0+2	0
36	DF	FRA	Dorothée	1	0	0+1	0
31	DF	ESP	Albiol	2	0	0+1	0	0	0	0+1	0
37	MF	ESP	Redondo	1	0	0+1	0
40	DF	ESP	Soriano	1	0	0+1	0
16	MF	ROU	Șerban
28	GK	ESP	Rángel
	DF	PAR	Ángel Amarilla

• Source: https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/t/t2002-0336.html