1995–96 FC Barcelona season

Summary

The season is best remembered as the end of Johan Cruyff's era as Head coach after almost eight years. During the summer the club made the transfers in of Gheorghe Popescu from Tottenham Hotspur, striker Ángel Cuéllar from Real Betis, forward Meho Kodro from Real Sociedad, Robert Prosinečki from Real Oviedo and the controversial move of Luís Figo from Sporting Lisboa (a petition of Jorge Valdano to the Real Madrid) after a two years ban of Italian Federation due to a double accord of the Portuguese midfielder with both Parma and Juventus.

Cruyff took Hristo Stoichkov and Ronald Koeman out of the team with controversy for fans and President included. In this campaign, the plan of head coach was mix arrivals and a new generation known as "La Quinta de Lo Pelat" (The generation of Lo Pelat) young players such as Iván de la Peña nicked as Pelat, Oscar García, Roger García, Toni Velamazan and Albert Celades.

The team reached its climax on 7 October 1995 defeating Real Betis 5–1 in Sevilla with a memorable exhibition of La Quinta de Lo Pelat, the club were struggling in League against leader of table Atlético Madrid meanwhile competing in 1995–96 Copa del Rey where the squad reached the 1996 Copa del Rey Final and 1996–97 UEFA Cup Semifinals phase.

However, the squad lost in ten days the three trophies, first on 10 April 1996 FC Barcelona was defeated 0-1 by Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey Final. Six days later, in Barcelona the squad lost the semifinal 1–2 against Bayern München and was eliminated from the UEFA Cup tournament. The bizarre series of results ended on 20 April 1996 when Atlético Madrid won 3–1 at Camp Nou means that FC Barcelona could not win La Liga for second consecutive year.

The shocking 10 days of losses shattered Johan Cruyff as manager and President Jose Luis Nuñez started contacts with English trainer Bobby Robson during May to replace Cruyff for 1996–97 season. Finally, Nuñez fired Cruyff on 19 May 1996 and signed Robson as the new head coach.

Squad

Transfers

Competitions

La Liga

Main article: 1995–96 La Liga

League table

Results by round

| color_2-5 = blue2| text_2-5 = 1996–97 UEFA Cup First round

Note: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup spot (in green) being non-related with a position in La Liga, does not appear until the winner is assured to not win La Liga, thus if wins La Liga has a spot in the UEFA Champions League, then 1995–96 Copa del Rey runners-up earns a spot in the 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Atlético Madrid won their 9th La Liga title in the last matchday, so after matchday 39 Barcelona's places are coloured in green. In light green the spot expected for 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Matches

de la Peña Correa Kodro
Luís Figo Luís Figo Hagi Luís Figo
Celades
Velamazán
de la Peña de la Peña
Óscar
Tabuenca Ohen Kodro
Óscar Popescu
Prosinečki Caminero Óscar de la Peña
Luís Figo Amor Viola
Mijatović
|goals2 Roger
Óscar Celades Pinilla Vizcaíno
Biagini Hagi
Óscar Óscar
Gudelj Amor

Copa del Rey

Main article: 1995–96 Copa del Rey

Round of 16 Abelardo
Kodro
Amor

Quarterfinals Movilla Óscar
Nadal

Semifinals Urzaiz Amor
Popescu

Final

Main article: 1996 Copa del Rey Final

UEFA Cup

Main article: 1995–96 UEFA Cup

First round

Roger Óscar Figo Hagi Velamazán Carreras Amor

Second round

Celades Óscar Celades Sergi

Third round

Popescu Roger

Quarterfinals

Abelardo Eijkelkamp Figo Sergi

Semifinals

Scholl Hagi Witeczek

Friendlies

Statistics

Players statistics

References

References

1. Graham Turner. (14 May 1995). "Popescu signs with FCB". elpais.com.
2. (26 June 1995). "FC Barcelona transfers Cuellar in". elpais.com.
3. (8 May 1995). "Agreement between Barcelona and Real Sociedad for the transfer of Kodro". elpais.com.
4. (20 July 1995). "Prosinecki signs a 3-year-deal with FC Barcelona". elpais.com.
5. (13 March 1995). "Figo signs a Pre-Agreement with FCB". elpais.com.