| 2003–04 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Jaume Orti | ||
| Manager | Rafael Benítez | ||
| Stadium | Mestalla Stadium | ||
| La Liga | 1st | ||
| Copa del Rey | Quarter-finals | ||
| UEFA Cup | Winners | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Mista (19) All: Mista (24) | ||
|  | |||
During the 2003–04 Spanish football season, Valencia CF won the double of La Liga and the UEFA Cup. At the end of the season, manager Rafael Benítez left to manage English side Liverpool and was succeeded by former Chelsea, Fiorentina and Valencia manager Claudio Ranieri.
Valencia CF enjoyed a marvellous season by winning the La Liga and UEFA Cup double. The key players of the squad were Mista, Vicente Rodríguez, Francisco Rufete, David Albelda, Roberto Ayala, Fábio Aurélio, Amedeo Carboni and Mauricio Pellegrino. Valencia CF started the league well in the early season but slumped in the mid-season and later made a remarkable comeback (remontada) in April and May thanks to Real Madrid's several slips. Valencia CF were on course for their first-treble winning season, however, Valencia were eliminated by eventual Copa del Rey runners-up Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and thus denying them a season treble.
Overview
| Competition | Record | Result | Top Scorer | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||
| La Liga | 38 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 71 | 27 | +44 | 60.53 | Winners |  Mista, 19 | 
| Copa del Rey | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 50.00 | Quarter-finals |  Rubén Baraja, 3 | 
| UEFA Cup | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 5 | +15 | 76.92 | Winners |  Mista, 5 | 
| Total | 57 | 36 | 11 | 10 | 101 | 40 | +61 | 63.16 |  Mista, 24 | |
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
| In | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | from | Type | 
| FW | Ricardo Oliveira | Santos FC | €3,50 million | 
| MF | Jorge López | Villarreal CF | €4,00 million | 
| MF | Mohamed Sissoko | AJ Auxerre | €1,00 million | 
| MF | Xisco | Recreativo Huelva | loan ended | 
| AM | Fabián Canobbio | CA Peñarol | Free | 
| DF | Raul Albiol | Valencia B | |
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | To | Type | 
| FW | John Carew | AS Roma | loan | 
| MF | Kily González | Internazionale | €2,5 million | 
| FW | Salva | Málaga CF | loan | 
| DF | Miroslav Đukić | CD Tenerife | Free | 
| DF | Anthony Réveillère | Olympique Lyonnais | loan ended | 
| DF | Jean-Félix Dorothée | Valencia B | |
| MF | Dennis Șerban | Polideportivo Ejido | end of contract | 
| MF | Gonzalo de los Santos | Atlético Madrid | loan | 
| DF | Raul Albiol | Recreativo Huelva | 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 | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valencia (C) | 38 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 71 | 27 | +44 | 77 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage | 
| 2 | Barcelona | 38 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 63 | 39 | +24 | 72 | |
| 3 | Deportivo La Coruña | 38 | 21 | 8 | 9 | 60 | 34 | +26 | 71 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round | 
| 4 | Real Madrid | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 72 | 54 | +18 | 70 | |
| 5 | Athletic Bilbao | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 53 | 49 | +4 | 56 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round | 
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th head-to-head goals scored; 5th goal difference; 6th number of goals scored; 7th Fair-play points
(C) Champions
Results by round
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; = Leader, 2004–05 UEFA Champions League Group stage; = 2004–05 UEFA Champions League Group stage; = 2004–05 UEFA Champions League Qualifying round; = 2004–05 UEFA Cup; = 2004–05 Segunda División
Matches
All kickoff times are in CET/CEST. Win Draw Loss
| 30 August 2003 1 | Valencia | 1–1 | Real Valladolid | Valencia | 
| 21:30 | Aimar  76' | Sousa  20' | Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Rafael Ramírez Domínguez | 
| 2 September 2003 2 | Osasuna | 0–1 | Valencia | Pamplona | 
| 21:30 | Baraja  50' | Stadium: El Sadar Attendance: 14,195 Referee: Julián Rodríguez Santiago | 
| 14 September 2003 3 | Valencia | 1–0 | Málaga | Valencia | 
| 19:00 | Marchena  43' | Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Alfonso Pérez Burrull | 
| 20 September 2003 4 | Atlético Madrid | 0–3 | Valencia | Madrid | 
| 21:30 | Vicente  67' Mista  75', 90' | Stadium: Vicente Calderón Attendance: 53,000 Referee: Fernando Carmona Méndez | 
| 27 September 2003 5 | Valencia | 2–0 | Real Madrid | Valencia | 
| 21:30 | Mista  4' Oliveira  71' | Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 50,000 Referee: Xavier Moreno Delgado | 
| 5 October 2003 6 | Barcelona | 0-1 | Valencia | Barcelona | 
| 21:30 | Oliveira  14' | Stadium: Camp Nou Attendance: 78,019 Referee: César Muñiz Fernández | 
| 19 October 2003 7 | Valencia | 4–0 | Espanyol | Valencia | 
| 17:30 | Mista  7', 45' Baraja  44' Vicente  78' | Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo | 
| 25 October 2003 8 | Deportivo La Coruña | 2-1 | Valencia | A Coruña | 
| 21:30 | Valerón  16' Tristán  80' | Mista  73' | Stadium: Riazor Attendance: 27,500 Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco | 
| 29 October 2003 9 | Valencia | 2-2 | Celta Vigo | Valencia | 
| 21:00 | Aimar  41' Canobbio  68' | Berizzo  56' Jesuli  66' | Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 48,000 Referee: Alfonso Pino Zamorano | 
| 2 November 2003 10 | Mallorca | 0–5 | Valencia | Palma | 
| Jorge López  2' (pen.) Oliveira  7', 45', 76' Xisco  88' | Stadium: Son Moix Attendance: 21,330 Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González | 
| 9 November 2003 11 | Valencia | 1–2 | Racing de Santander | Valencia | 
| Baraja  25' | Bodipo  23', 49' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Miguel Pérez Lasa | 
| 23 November 2003 12 | Murcia | 2–2 | Valencia | Murcia | 
| Richi  38' Míchel  46' | Mista  12', 55' | Stadium: La Condomina Attendance: 12,800 Referee: Víctor Esquinas Torres | 
| 29 November 2003 13 | Valencia | 3–2 | Real Zaragoza | Valencia | 
| Jorge López  19' Vicente  26' Aimar  44' | Villa  49' Cani  79' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Antonio Rubinos Pérez | 
| 2 December 2003 14 | Real Sociedad | 0–0 | Valencia | San Sebastián | 
| Stadium: Anoeta Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Evaristo Puentes Leira | 
| 7 December 2003 15 | Valencia | 2–1 | Athletic Bilbao | Valencia | 
| Vicente  17', 64' | Ezquerro  52' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Arturo Daudén Ibáñez | 
| 14 December 2003 16 | Real Betis | 0–1 | Valencia | Seville | 
| Juanito  18' (o.g.) | Stadium: Manuel Ruiz de Lopera Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Fernando Teixeira Vitienes | 
| 20 December 2003 17 | Valencia | 1–0 | Sevilla | Valencia | 
| Mista  61' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 47,700 Referee: José Losantos Omar | 
| 4 January 2004 18 | Valencia | 4–2 | Villarreal | Valencia | 
| Baraja  60', 73' Aimar  61' Mista  87' | Riquelme  14' Belletti  77' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Pedro Tristante Oliva | 
| 10 January 2004 19 | Albacete | 0–1 | Valencia | Albacete | 
| Jorge López  9' (pen.) | Stadium: Carlos Belmonte Attendance: 17,300 Referee: Javier Moreno Delgado | 
| 17 January 2004 20 | Valladolid | 0–0 | Valencia | Valladolid | 
| Stadium: José Zorrilla Attendance: 13,200 Referee: Bernardino González Vázquez | 
| 25 January 2004 21 | Valencia | 0–1 | Osasuna | Valencia | 
| Pellegrino  45' (o.g.) | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 47,700 Referee: Carlos Megía Dávila | 
| 31 January 2004 22 | Málaga | 1–6 | Valencia | Málaga | 
| Salva  73' | Mista  5' Oliveira  15', 58', 65' Marchena  48' Albelda  72' | Stadium: La Rosaleda Attendance: 21,000 Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González | 
| 7 February 2004 23 | Valencia | 3–0 | Atlético Madrid | Valencia | 
| 19:30 | Mista  30', 71' Vicente  66' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Javier Turienzo Álvarez | 
| 15 February 2004 24 | Real Madrid | 1–1 | Valencia | Madrid | 
| 21:00 | Figo  90' (pen.) | Ayala  74' | Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu Attendance: 78,000 Referee: Pedro Tristante Oliva | 
| 21 February 2004 25 | Valencia | 0–1 | Barcelona | Valencia | 
| 21:30 | Gerard  77' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 53,000 Referee: Antonio Rubinos Pérez | 
| 29 February 2004 26 | Espanyol | 2–1 | Valencia | Barcelona | 
| Tamudo  39', 75' | Mista  77' | Stadium: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Attendance: 18,900 Referee: Manuel Mejuto González | 
| 6 March 2004 27 | Valencia | 3–0 | Deportivo de La Coruña | Valencia | 
| Vicente  22' (pen.), 90' Sánchez  90' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 52,000 Referee: José Pedro Mendoza Castellano | 
| 14 March 2004 28 | Celta de Vigo | 0–2 | Valencia | Vigo | 
| Rufete  39', 89' | Stadium: Estadio Balaídos Attendance: 25,076 Referee: Rafael Ramírez Domínguez | 
| 21 March 2004 29 | Valencia | 5–1 | Mallorca | Valencia | 
| Mista  44', 67', 68' Baraja  56' Angulo  60' | Eto'o  83' (pen.) | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 47,700 Referee: Jesús Téllez Sánchez | 
| 28 March 2004 30 | Racing de Santander | 0–3 | Valencia | Santander | 
| Díaz  8' (o.g.) Vicente  45', 75' | Stadium: El Sardinero Attendance: 13,781 Referee: César Muñiz Fernández | 
| 4 April 2004 31 | Valencia | 2–0 | Murcia | Valencia | 
| Pellegrino  72' Mista  82' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco | 
| 11 April 2004 32 | Real Zaragoza | 0–1 | Valencia | Zaragoza | 
| Angulo  69' | Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Alfonso Pérez Burrull | 
| 18 April 2004 33 | Valencia | 2–2 | Real Sociedad | Valencia | 
| Vicente  71' Mista  86' | Alonso  65' Karpin  69' (pen.) | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 53,000 Referee: Fernando Teixeira Vitienes | 
| 25 April 2004 34 | Athletic Bilbao | 1–1 | Valencia | Bilbao | 
| del Horno  30' | Jorge López  12' (pen.) | Stadium: San Mamés Attendance: 36,000 Referee: Javier Turienzo Álvarez | 
| 2 May 2004 35 | Valencia | 2–0 | Real Betis | Valencia | 
| Torres  35' Baraja  48' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Bernardino González Vázquez | 
| 9 May 2004 36 | Sevilla | 0–2 | Valencia | Seville | 
| Vicente  11' Baraja  90' | Stadium: Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Evaristo Puentes Leira | 
| 14 May 2004 37 | Villarreal | 2–1 | Valencia | Villarreal | 
| Anderson  13' Riquelme  25' | Pellegrino  35' | Stadium: El Madrigal Attendance: 11,256 Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo | 
| 23 May 2004 38 | Valencia | 0–1 | Albacete | Valencia | 
| Aranda  60' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 50,000 Referee: Manuel Mejuto González | 
Copa del Rey
| 22 October 2003 Round of 64 | CD Castellón | 1–3 | Valencia | Castellón de la Plana, Valencia | 
| Marcos  39' | Baraja  63', 81' Canobbio  86' | Stadium: Nou Estadi Castàlia Referee: Jesús Téllez Sánchez | 
| 17 December 2003 Round of 32 | Valencia | 2–0 | Murcia | Valencia | 
| Xisco  12' Garrido  69' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Rafael Ramírez Domínguez | 
| 7 January 2004 Round of 16, First Leg | Valencia | 2–2 | Osasuna | Valencia | 
| Angulo  26' Baraja  53' (pen.) | Webó  59' Aloisi  89' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 23,000 Referee: Antonio Rubinos Pérez | 
| 14 January 2004 Round of 16, Second Leg | Osasuna | 0–2 (2–4 agg.) | Valencia | Pamplona | 
| Vicente  26' Rufete  59' | Stadium: El Sadar Attendance: 14,103 Referee: Miguel Pérez Lasa | 
Quarterfinals
| 21 January 2004 | Real Madrid | 3-0 | Valencia | Madrid | 
| Raúl  31' Ronaldo  81' Figo  86' (pen.) | (Report) | Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu Attendance: 65,000 Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo | 
| 28 January 2004 | Valencia | 1–2 (1–5 agg.) | Real Madrid | Valencia | 
| Xisco  73' | (Report) | Raúl  14' Zidane  90' | Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 42,000 Referee: Fernando Carmona Méndez | 
UEFA Cup
First round
| 24 September 2003 | AIK   | 0–1 |  Valencia | Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm | 
| 20:30 | Report | Oliveira  64' | Attendance: 25,433 Referee: Hermann Albrecht (Germany) | 
Second round
| 6 November 2003 | Valencia   | 0–0 |  Maccabi Haifa | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| 22:00 | Report | Referee: Kenny Clark (Scotland) | 
| 11 December 2003 | Maccabi Haifa   | 0–4 (0–4 agg.) |  Valencia | Sparta Stadion, Rotterdam | 
| 20:00 | Report | Mista  11' Baraja  24' Albelda  90+1' Angulo  90+2' | Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands) | 
Third round
| 26 February 2004 | Valencia   | 3–2 |  Beşiktaş | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| 21:30 | Sissoko  25' Canobbio  43' Navarro  90+4' | Report | Pancu  17', 39' | Referee: Alain Sars (France) | 
| 3 March 2004 |  Beşiktaş | 0–2 (2–5 agg.) |  Valencia | BJK İnönü Stadium, Istanbul | 
| 19:30 | Report | Angulo  12' Juan Sánchez  57' | Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy) | 
Fourth round
| 11 March 2004 | Gençlerbirliği   | 1–0 |  Valencia | Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium, Ankara | 
| 19:30 | Daems  12' (pen.) | Report | Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Tom Henning Øvrebø (Norway) | 
| 25 March 2004 | Valencia   | 2–0 (a.e.t.) (2–1 agg.) | Gençlerbirliği   | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| 21:30 | Mista  63' Vicente  94' | Report | Attendance: 30,000 Referee: René Temmink (Netherlands) | 
Quarter-final
| 8 April 2004 | Bordeaux   | 1–2 |  Valencia | Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux | 
| 19:15 | Riera  18' | Report | Baraja  75' Rufete  88' | Attendance: 29,108 Referee: Mike Riley (England) | 
| 14 April 2004 | Valencia   | 2–1 (4–2 agg.) |  Bordeaux | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| 21:45 | Pellegrino  52' Rufete  60' | Report | Eduardo  71' | Attendance: 32,000 Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany) | 
Semi-final
| 22 April 2004 | Villarreal   | 0–0 |  Valencia | Estadio El Madrigal, Villarreal | 
| 21:45 | Report | Attendance: 23,000 Referee: Lucílio Batista (Portugal) | 
| 6 May 2004 | Valencia   | 1–0 (1–0 agg.) |  Villarreal | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia | 
| 21:45 | Mista  16' (pen.) | Report | Attendance: 52,000 Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway) | 
Final
| 19 May 2004 | Valencia   | 2–0 |  Marseille | Ullevi, Gothenburg | 
| 20:45 CEST | Vicente  45' (pen.) Mista  58' | Report | Attendance: 39,000 Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy) | 
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 | 44 | -27 | 37 | -25 | 0 | 0 | 7 | -2 | 
| 23 | DF |  GER | Curro Torres | 39 | 1 | 28+1 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 | 
| 4 | DF |  ARG | Ayala | 45 | 1 | 30 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 
| 5 | DF |  ESP | Marchena | 44 | 2 | 28+3 | 2 | 4+1 | 0 | 6+2 | 0 | 
| 15 | DF | .svg.png.webp) ITA | Carboni | 48 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 10+1 | 0 | 
| 18 | MF |  ESP | López | 30 | 4 | 23+3 | 4 | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 6 | MF |  ESP | Albelda | 44 | 2 | 32+1 | 1 | 2+1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 
| 8 | MF |  ESP | Baraja | 52 | 13 | 29+6 | 8 | 5+1 | 3 | 10+1 | 2 | 
| 14 | MF |  ESP | Vicente | 44 | 15 | 32+1 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 4+3 | 2 | 
| 20 | FW |  ESP | Mista | 46 | 24 | 29+4 | 19 | 3+1 | 0 | 6+3 | 5 | 
| 7 | FW |  BRA | Oliveira | 30 | 9 | 14+7 | 8 | 2+1 | 0 | 5+1 | 1 | 
| 28 | GK |  ESP | Rangel | 1 | -2 | 1 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 21 | MF |  ARG | Aimar | 38 | 4 | 18+7 | 4 | 3+2 | 0 | 5+3 | 0 | 
| 19 | MF |  ESP | Rufete | 43 | 5 | 15+12 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8+3 | 2 | 
| 2 | DF |  ARG | Pellegrino | 32 | 3 | 17+4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6+2 | 1 | 
| 10 | FW |  ESP | Angulo | 36 | 5 | 12+10 | 2 | 4+1 | 1 | 7+2 | 2 | 
| 25 | MF |  MLI | Sissoko | 34 | 1 | 9+12 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 7+2 | 1 | 
| 12 | DF |  ESP | Garrido | 31 | 2 | 13+2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 9+1 | 1 | 
| 24 | MF |  ESP | Xisco | 33 | 3 | 5+17 | 1 | 1+2 | 2 | 6+2 | 0 | 
| 17 | DF |  ESP | Navarro | 20 | 1 | 7+5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 
| 16 | MF |  URU | Cannobio | 23 | 3 | 3+8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6+4 | 1 | 
| 11 | FW |  ESP | Sánchez | 17 | 2 | 3+7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4+2 | 1 | 
| 3 | DF |  BRA | Fábio Aurélio | 4 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 
| 13 | GK |  ESP | Palop | 12 | -11 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -8 | 6 | -3 | 
| 26 | MF |  ESP | Gavilan | ||||||||
| 29 | FW |  ESP | Criado | ||||||||
| 31 | DF |  ESP | Verdejo | ||||||||
| 33 | GK |  ESP | Jonathan | ||||||||
| 35 | DF | .svg.png.webp) PAR | Amarilla | ||||||||
| 36 | DF |  FRA | Dorothée | ||||||||
| 38 | MF |  ESP | Soriano | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 39 | DF |  ESP | Albiol | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 
References
- ↑ "FootballSquads - Valencia - 2003/04".
- ↑ Torres was born in Ahlen, West Germany (now Germany).










