Athletic Bilbao
1994–95 season
PresidentJosé María Arrate
Head coachJavier Irureta (to 19 March)
José María Amorrortu (caretaker, from 20 March)
StadiumSan Mamés
La Liga8th
Copa del ReyQuarterfinals
UEFA Cup3rd round
Top goalscorerLeague: Julen Guerrero, 13[1]
All: Julen Guerrero, 16

The 1994–95 season was the 94th season in Athletic Bilbao's history and their 64th consecutive season in La Liga, the top division of Spanish football.

Season summary

The previous season, Athletic's German head coach Jupp Heynckes had guided them to a fine 5th-place finish in La Liga.[2] This was their best finish for six years, and qualified them for the first round of the 1994–95 UEFA Cup after five seasons without European competition. However, Heynckes accepted an offer in July to return to his homeland with Eintracht Frankfurt,[3] leaving his Spanish employers searching for a new coach. New President José María Arrate turned to Racing Santander coach Javier Irureta, a successful Athletic player in the 1970s, who was duly appointed as the new head coach.[4]

Their UEFA Cup first round opponents were Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus, and things did not get off to a good start, with a 2–0 away defeat in the first leg.[5] However, by half time in the return leg, Athletic were on level terms, and an 89th-minute goal from Genar Andrinúa was enough for them to sneak into the second round.[6] They again lost the first leg, this time 3–2 in England against Newcastle United.[7] The home leg again provided an escape, although the margin was even tighter: a solitary goal from Cuco Ziganda saw Athletic progress on away goals.[8] In the third round, they faced Italian side Parma. This time, the first leg was at home, and they won 1–0, again courtesy of Ziganda.[9] However, the pattern of the first two rounds was mirrored in the second leg as Parma pulled off a 4–2 victory at Stadio Ennio Tardini to eliminate their Basque rivals.[10]

On 18 March, Athletic lost 2–0 at San Mamés to Sevilla, a result which left them in 11th place in the league, with just nine wins from their 26 matches.[11] The club had seen enough, and Irureta was dismissed the following day.[12] Another former Athletic player, Athletic Bilbao B coach José María Amorrortu, was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Amorrortu's first match in charge was the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Deportivo La Coruña. Athletic carried a 3–0 deficit from the first leg, so the 0–0 draw at San Mamés saw them eliminated,[13] although this marked their best cup run since reaching the same stage three years earlier. Amorrortu's appointment did improve their league form, however, and they recovered to finish 8th.[14] At the end of the season, Yugoslavian Dragoslav Stepanović, formerly in charge of German club Bayer Leverkusen, was appointed as Irureta's permanent replacement.

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

[1][15][16][17]

No. Pos Nat Player TotalLa LigaCopa del ReyUEFA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Spain ESP Kike Burgos 00000000
GK Spain ESP Juanjo Valencia 4803804060
DF Spain ESP Genar Andrinúa 35225+113061
DF Spain ESP Sergio Corino 1000000+10
DF Spain ESP Eduardo Estíbariz 22016+301020
DF Spain ESP Carlos García 10100000
DF Spain ESP Aitor Karanka 3813211+1040
DF Spain ESP Andoni Lakabeg 1507+700010
DF Spain ESP Jon Ander Lambea 00000000
DF Spain ESP Iñigo Larrainzar 32124+114030
DF Spain ESP Aitor Larrazábal 41330+233060
DF Spain ESP Óscar Tabuenka 26118+114030
MF Spain ESP Bittor Alkiza 43126+811+204+20
MF Spain ESP Ander Garitano 44434+143060
MF Spain ESP Andoni Goikoetxea 36127+114040
MF Spain ESP Julen Guerrero 331627132142
MF Spain ESP Mikel Kortina 600+50000+10
MF Spain ESP Josu Urrutia 3903102+104+10
MF Spain ESP Óscar Vales 31117+802+1031
FW Spain ESP Francisco Luque 900+700+2000
FW Spain ESP Ricardo Mendiguren 31110+1113+102+40
FW Spain ESP Gonzalo Suances 1949+53101+31
FW Spain ESP Ernesto Valverde 23513+752010
FW Spain ESP Cuco Ziganda 47933+434363

Results

La Liga

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
6 Espanyol[lower-alpha 1] 38 14 15 9 51 35 +16 43[lower-alpha 2]
7 Zaragoza 38 18 7 13 56 51 +5 43[lower-alpha 2] Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[lower-alpha 3]
8 Athletic Bilbao 38 16 10 12 39 42 −3 42
9 Oviedo 38 13 13 12 45 42 +3 39
10 Valencia 38 13 12 13 53 48 +5 38[lower-alpha 4]
Source: LFP
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.
Notes:
  1. ↑ RCD Español was renamed RCD Espanyol in February 1995.
  2. 1 2 SEV: 7 pts; ESP: 3 pts; ZAR: 2 pts
  3. ↑ Zaragoza was qualified directly for the 1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup as holders.
  4. ↑ RSO 0–2 VAL; VAL 4–2 RSO

UEFA Cup

First round

13 September 1994 Anorthosis Famagusta Cyprus 2–0 Spain Athletic Bilbao Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca
Gogić 6'
Pounas 51'		 Report Referee: Atanas Usunov (Bulgaria)

Athletic Bilbao won 3–2 on aggregate

Second round

Newcastle United 3–3 Athletic Bilbao on aggregate. Athletic Bilbao won on away goals rule

Third round

22 November 1994 Athletic Bilbao Spain 1–0 Italy Parma San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
Ziganda 48' Report Attendance: 46,000
Referee: Bo Karlsson (Sweden)
6 December 1994 Parma Italy 4–2 Spain Athletic Bilbao Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma
Zola 21'
D. Baggio 39', 48'
Couto 64'		 Report Vales 56'
Guerrero 75'		 Attendance: 18,000
Referee: David Elleray (England)

Parma won 4–3 on aggregate

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Athletic Bilbao » Appearances Primera División 1994/1995". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  2. ↑ "LaLiga 1993/1994 Table, Results, Fixtures – (Football/Spain)". flashscore.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  3. ↑ "Eintracht Franfkurt - Trainer". kicker. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "San Mamés da el voto a Arrate" (PDF). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Anorthosis-Athletic Club 1994 History". UEFA Europa League. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Athletic Club-Anorthosis 1994 History". UEFA Europa League. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Newcastle-Athletic Club 1994 History". UEFA Europa League. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Athletic Club-Newcastle 1994 History". UEFA Europa League. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Athletic Club-Parma 1994 History". UEFA Europa League. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "Parma-Athletic Club 1994 History". UEFA Europa League. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  11. ↑ "Primera División 1994/1995 » 26. Round". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "Irureta dice 'sí' a la Real" (PDF). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  13. ↑ "El milagro del Athletic no llega con Amorrortu" (PDF). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "LaLiga 1994/1995 Table, Results, Fixtures – (Football/Spain)". flashscore.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Athletic Bilbao » Squad 1994/1995". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Athletic Bilbao » Appearances Copa del Rey 1994/1995". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "Athletic Bilbao » Appearances Europa League 1994/1995". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
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