1939–40 La Liga

The 1939–40 La Liga was the ninth season since its establishment and the first one after the Spanish Civil War, that forced to suspend the competition during three years. The season started on December 3, 1939, and finished on April 28, 1940.

Primera División
Season1939–40
ChampionsAthletic Aviación
(1st title)
RelegatedBetis
Racing Santander
Matches played132
Goals scored501 (3.8 per match)
Top goalscorerVictorio Unamuno
(20 goals)
Biggest home winSevilla 8–2 Racing Santander
Biggest away winBetis 0–4 Madrid
Highest scoringAthletic Bilbao 7–5 Barcelona
Longest winning run5 matches
Athletic Aviación
Longest unbeaten run7 matches
Sevilla
Longest winless run8 matches
Zaragoza
Longest losing run4 matches
Athletic Bilbao
Celta
Español
Racing Santander

Despite being relegated in the previous season, Athletic Aviación won its first title ever.

Format changes

For this season, team qualified in the 10th position would face the second qualified team from Segunda División in a single-game play-off at a neutral venue. The winner would play the next season of La Liga.

Team locations
Location of teams in 1939–40 La Liga

Due to the several damages in Estadio Buenavista after the Spanish Civil War, Oviedo did not play this season. However, the Spanish Football Federation assured them a berth in the 1940–41 La Liga.

Athletic Madrid changed its name to Athletic Aviación, after its merge with Aviación Nacional. Despite being relegated to Segunda División, it remained in the league by winning a play-off match against Osasuna for occupying the vacant berth after the resignation of Oviedo. Due to the damages at Estadio Metropolitano de Madrid, they played their games during this season at Estadio Chamartín, and one game at Vallecas.

Celta and Zaragoza made their debut in La Liga.

Club City Stadium
Athletic AviaciónMadridChamartín
Athletic BilbaoBilbaoSan Mamés
BarcelonaBarcelonaLes Corts
BetisSevillePatronato Obrero
CeltaVigoBalaídos
EspañolBarcelonaSarriá
HérculesAlicanteBardín
MadridMadridChamartín
Racing SantanderSantanderEl Sardinero
SevillaSevilleNervión
ValenciaValenciaMestalla
ZaragozaZaragozaTorrero

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Athletic Aviación (C) 22 14 1 7 43 29 +14 29
2 Sevilla 22 11 6 5 60 44 +16 28
3 Athletic Bilbao 22 11 4 7 57 44 +13 26
4 Madrid 22 12 1 9 47 35 +12 25
5 Español 22 11 2 9 43 43 0 24
6 Hércules 22 9 5 8 41 34 +7 23
7 Zaragoza 22 7 7 8 30 40 −10 21[lower-alpha 1]
8 Valencia 22 9 3 10 40 36 +4 21[lower-alpha 1]
9 Barcelona 22 8 3 11 32 38 −6 19[lower-alpha 2]
10 Celta (O) 22 9 1 12 45 50 −5 19[lower-alpha 2] Qualification for the relegation play-offs
11 Betis (R) 22 6 4 12 26 51 −25 16 Relegation to the Segunda División
12 Racing Santander (R) 22 6 1 15 37 57 −20 13
Source: BDFútbol
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Zaragoza finished ahead of Valencia on head-to-head points: Zaragoza–Valencia 1–0, Valencia–Zaragoza 0–0.
  2. Barcelona finished ahead of Celta on head-to-head points: Celta–Barcelona 1–2, Barcelona–Celta 2–0.

Results
Home \ Away AAV ATH BAR BET CEL ESP HER MAD RAC SEV VAL ZAR
Athletic Aviación — 3–1 3–0 0–0 4–1 2–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 4–2 2–0 5–1
Athletic Bilbao 1–3 — 7–5 6–1 4–1 4–0 4–1 3–1 3–2 3–4 1–2 1–1
Barcelona 1–2 0–2 — 2–0 2–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 3–1 1–2 4–1 2–1
Betis 1–2 0–0 3–0 — 2–0 2–0 4–3 0–4 2–1 3–2 0–3 0–0
Celta 1–0 2–4 1–2 4–2 — 2–0 4–0 2–3 5–1 3–3 2–1 5–1
Español 2–0 3–4 1–1 5–0 4–1 — 3–3 5–4 3–1 2–1 2–3 2–0
Hércules 4–1 1–0 1–2 3–0 6–1 1–2 — 0–2 3–1 3–3 2–1 5–1
Madrid 2–0 4–1 2–1 3–0 2–1 3–1 0–1 — 3–2 1–3 2–1 5–1
Racing Santander 0–2 3–0 2–3 4–2 6–2 2–3 0–1 2–1 — 3–3 2–1 1–0
Sevilla 4–1 3–3 2–1 4–3 1–4 4–0 1–1 3–2 8–2 — 4–2 3–0
Valencia 1–0 3–4 3–1 4–0 1–1 1–3 2–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 — 0–0
Zaragoza 4–3 1–1 3–1 1–1 3–2 4–1 0–0 3–1 3–0 1–1 1–0 —
Source: BDFútbol
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation play-off

The play-off match was played at Estadio Chamartín in Chamartín de la Rosa.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Celta 1–0 Deportivo La Coruña

Top scorers
Rank Goalscorers Team Goals
1 Victorio Unamuno Athletic Bilbao 20
2 Raimundo Blanco Sevilla 18
3 Vilanova Hércules 17
4 Campanal I Sevilla 16
5 Guillermo Gorostiza Athletic Bilbao 14
Agustín Celta
Antonio Chas Racing Santander
Mundo Valencia
9 Manuel Alday Real Madrid 13
10 Simón Lecue Real Madrid 12

[1]

References
  1. http://www.bdfutbol.com/en/t/t1939-40.html
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