| Competition: | La Liga |
| Season: | 2002–03 |
| Dates: | 31 August 2002 – 22 June 2003 |
| Winners: | Real Madrid 29th title |
| Relegated: | Recreativo Huelva Alavés Rayo Vallecano |
| Continentalcup1: | Champions League |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Real Madrid (group stage) Real Sociedad (group stage) Deportivo (3rd qualifying round) Celta Vigo (3rd qualifying round) |
| Continentalcup2: | UEFA Cup |
| Continentalcup2 Qualifiers: | Valencia (first round) Barcelona (first round) Mallorca (first round) (via Copa del Rey) |
| Continentalcup3: | Intertoto Cup |
| Continentalcup3 Qualifiers: | Villarreal (third round) Racing (second round) |
| League Topscorer: | Roy Makaay (29 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | Deportivo 6–0 Alavés (22 February 2003)[1] |
| Biggest Away Win: | Mallorca 1–5 Real Madrid (8 December 2002)[2] Alavés 1–5 Real Madrid (1 March 2003)[3] Real Madrid 1–5 Mallorca (3 May 2003)[4] Osasuna 1–5 Athletic Bilbao (4 May 2003)[5] Mallorca 0–4 Atlético Madrid (22 September 2002)[6] Mallorca 0–4 Barcelona (21 December 2002)[7] Rayo Vallecano 0–4 Valencia (23 February 2003)[8] Atlético Madrid 0–4 Real Madrid (15 June 2003)[9] |
| Highest Scoring: | Barcelona 6–1 Alavés (26 October 2002)[10] Barcelona 6–1 Racing (23 March 2003)[11] Real Madrid 5–2 Alavés (6 October 2002)[12] Racing 5–2 Espanyol (1 June 2003)[13] Villarreal 4–3 Atlético Madrid (5 January 2003)[14] Málaga 3–4 Espanyol (27 October 2002)[15] Racing 3–4 Athletic Bilbao (4 January 2003)[16] |
| Matches: | 380 |
| Total Goals: | 1016 |
| Prevseason: | 2001–02 |
| Nextseason: | 2003–04 |
The 2002–03 La Liga season, the 72nd since its establishment, started on 31 August 2002 and finished on 22 June 2003.
Twenty teams competed in the league – the top seventeen teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the Segunda División. The promoted teams were Atlético Madrid, Racing Santander and Recreativo, returning to the top flight after an absence of two, one and twenty three years respectively. They replaced Las Palmas, Tenerife and Zaragoza after spending time in the top flight for two, one and twenty four years respectively.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98,772 | |||
| 80,354 | |||
| 55,926 | |||
| Atlético Madrid | 55,005 | ||
| 55,000 | |||
| 52,132 | |||
| 45,500 | |||
| 39,750 | |||
| 34,600 | |||
| 32,500 | |||
| 32,200 | |||
| 30,044 | |||
| 27,846 | |||
| 23,142 | |||
| 23,000 | |||
| Racing de Santander | 22,400 | ||
| Recreativo de Huelva | 19,860 | ||
| 19,840 | |||
| 19,553 | |||
| 14,505 |
(*) Promoted from Segunda División.
The Pichichi Trophy is awarded to the player who scores the most goals in a season.
Real Madrid was the winner of the Fair-play award, with 76 points; second was Real Sociedad; and third was Deportivo La Coruña.[17] [18]
Real Sociedad supporters[19]
