| Season: | 1996–97 |
| Mgrtitle: | Head Coach |
| Chrtitle: | President |
| League Result: | Runners-up |
| Cup1 Result: | Winners |
| Cup3 Result: | Winners |
| Cup2 Result: | Winners |
| League Topscorer: | Ronaldo (34) |
| Season Topscorer: | Ronaldo (47) |
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| Prevseason: | 1995–96 |
| Nextseason: | 1997–98 |
The 1996–97 season was FC Barcelona's 98th season in existence and 68th consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football, La Liga.
Before being dismissed by the club as head coach in May 1996, Johan Cruyff sought to reinforce the club for the upcoming season. While bids for Zinedine Zidane, David Ginola, Ryan Giggs, Lee Sharpe,[1] Aron Winter, and goalkeeper José Francisco Molina all proved unsuccessful, Laurent Blanc, Juan Antonio Pizzi and Luis Enrique did join the club. The team enjoyed a decent season, winning both Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, but extended its run without winning the league title to three years, coming second to Real Madrid. The season's end saw major departures: Bobby Robson was replaced as coach by Louis Van Gaal and Ronaldo, the club's top scorer with 47 goals, made a surprise switch to Inter Milan.
| In | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=3% | Pos. | width=32% | Name | width=30% | from | width=35% | Type |
| FW | U$20,0million [4] | ||||||
| DF | Laurent Blanc | free | |||||
| MF | free | ||||||
| FW | free | ||||||
| FW | €2.4 million | ||||||
| MF | loan ended | ||||||
| MF | €5.5 million | ||||||
| GK | €6.5 million | ||||||
| DF | €5.5 million | ||||||
| Out | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=3% | Pos. | width=32% | Name | width=30% | To | width=35% | Type |
| FW | - | ||||||
| MF | - | ||||||
| FW | - | ||||||
| MF | Juan Carlos Moreno | - | |||||
| DF | Thomas Christiansen | - | |||||
| MF | - | ||||||
| DF | - | ||||||
| In | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=3% | Pos. | width=32% | Name | width=30% | from | width=35% | Type |
| MF | €3.0 million | ||||||
| Out | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=3% | Pos. | width=32% | Name | width=30% | To | width=35% | Type |
| FW | - | ||||||
| MF | - | ||||||
See main article: 1996–97 La Liga.
}}
See main article: 1996–97 Copa del Rey.
See main article: El Clásico.
See main article: 1997 Copa del Rey Final.
See main article: 1996 Supercopa de España.
See main article: 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
See main article: 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final.