Features
MON 01.10.2018
For many fans, the 1999/00 season is remembered for RC Deportivo winning their first and only LaLiga Santander title to date. This legendary Deportivo side featured Roy Makaay, Djalminha, Donato and Jose Oscar Flores, led by coach Javier Irureta. This season was also notable for being CD Numancia's maiden LaLiga Santander campaign, Racing Santander's Salva Ballesta topping the scoring charts with 27 goals and D. Alaves's Martin Herrera conceding the fewest amount of goals in the league, only 37 in 38 matches.
Others recall this year as being the most hotly-contested league season after seven matchdays. At this stage, only nine points separated table-toppers FC Barcelona, who boasted Patrick Kluivert, Rivaldo and Luis Figo in their side, and the bottom side R. Betis.
After seven matchdays of LaLiga Santander 2018/19, only ten points separate Barcelona, who are the league leaders, and bottom side CD Leganes. This is only a point greater than the difference in the 1999/00 season, and makes the 2018/19 league the most closely-fought one so far this century. LaLiga Santander is undoubtedly getting more competitive, with the margins being tight in both the title race, with Barcelona and Real Madrid level-pegging and Sevilla FC only a point behind them, and for the fight against the drop, with CD Leganes on four points and SD Huesca and Rayo Vallecano both on five points.
The gap between first and seventh-placed
The points difference between top and bottom of the table tells a story, as does the difference between the table-toppers and the team in seventh. After seven matchdays, the fight for the title and places in Europe are more competitive than ever, with only three points separating Barcelona in first and city rivals RCD Espanyol in seventh.
We'd have to go back to the 2006/07 season to find the same points difference between first and seventh after seven matchdays. Back then, Barcelona had 16 points and were top of the table while Atletico Madrid were in seventh with 13 points.
The 1994/95 season was another in which the start of the campaign was notable for a small gap in points between the top teams. In this season, only two points separated first and seventh. Madrid were top on 11 points and R. Sporting were seventh with nine points.
© LALIGA - 2018