1998–99 CF Extremadura season
# 1998–99 CF Extremadura season

## Season summary

Extremadura finished the season in 17th place. Although this was the club's highest-ever finish in the Spanish football pyramid (the season was only the second Extremadura had played in the top flight), they still finished one point adrift of safety. Extremadura thus qualified for the relegation play-off, where they faced the fifth-placed team of the Segunda División, Rayo Vallecano. The Madrid-based side easily defeated Extremadura 2-0 both home and away for a 4-0 aggregate win which saw Extremadura relegated after a single season in the top flight of Spanish football. Manager Rafael Benítez resigned after only two seasons in charge, deciding to instead study in Italy and England.

On the plus side, Extremadura won the Fair Play award.

## Squad

    Squad at end of season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | ESP | Francisco Amador |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Félix |
| 5 | DF | CMR | Kalla |
| 6 | MF | ESP | Pedro José |
| 7 | FW | ESP | Manuel |
| 8 | MF | FRA | Laurent Viaud |
| 9 | MF | ESP | Toni Velamazán |
| 10 | MF | ESP | Alberto Toril |
| 11 | MF | ESP | José Luis Soto |
| 12 | DF | ESP | Óscar Montiel |
| 14 | DF | ESP | David Belenguer |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | DF | ESP | David Castedo (on loan from Mallorca) |
| 17 | DF | SCG | Miroslav Čermelj |
| 18 | FW | ARG | Alejandro Duré |
| 19 | DF | ESP | Juanito |
| 20 | DF | ESP | Poli |
| 22 | FW | ARG | Iván Gabrich |
| 23 | FW | CIV | Ahmed Ouattara |
| 24 | MF | SUI | Antonio Esposito (on loan from Grasshoppers) |
| 25 | GK | BEL | Ronny Gaspercic |
| 26 | GK | ESP | Manuel Jesuli |
| 27 | MF | ESP | Jesús Vázquez |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 3 | DF | ESP | José Antonio Padilla (to Albacete) |
| 8 | MF | ESP | Ignacio Eraña (to Numancia) |
| 15 | MF | PER | Jean Ferrari (released) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | MF | SCG | Goran Bogdanović (to FK Sartid) |
| 23 | FW | ARG | Luis Rueda (on loan to Belgrano) |

### La Liga

**League table**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 15 | Racing Santander | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 42 | |
| 16 | Alavés | 38 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 36 | 63 | −27 | 40 | |
| 17 | Extremadura (R) | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 27 | 53 | −26 | 39 | Qualification for the relegation playoffs |
| 18 | Villarreal (R) | 38 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 47 | 63 | −16 | 36 | Qualification for the relegation playoffs |
| 19 | Tenerife (R) | 38 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 41 | 63 | −22 | 34 | Relegation to the Segunda División |

## Transfers

### In

**Summer window**

* Toni Velamazán, from Barcelona

       On June 30 Barcelona accepted Extremadura's three-year offer for Velamazán after loaning him to Oviedo and Albacete in the two previous seasons. It kept a repurchase option for two years.
