Rafa Benitez takes Valencia to the promise land (2001-2004)

The arrival of Florentino Perez led to more star signings such as Zidane from Juventus and Ronaldo from Inter, Madrid continued to win in Europe and in Spain without dominating.
Valencia and Depor were their biggest challengers in La Liga. Valencia under Rafa Benitez licked their wounds from the Champions League final to lift their first league in 31 years in 2002, they went on to win another in 2004 before Benitez left for Liverpool. Benitez and Simeone are the only two managers in the 21st century to win more than one La Liga for a club not named Barca and Madrid.
The Copa was more even with modest clubs such as Depor, Mallorca and Zaragoza winning. Depor beat Real Madrid in their 100 year birthday and Zaragoza won in a game the spelt the beginning of the end for Los Galacticos. The worse news for Madrid was the resurgence of Barcelona with a new president and a new Brazilian star
#Valencia #Deportivo #RealMadrid #LaLiga #Zidane