2001: Valencia
Beaten by: Bayern Munich (on penalties, 1-1 AET)
Following season’s finish: Did not qualify
Rafa Benitez took over after the final defeat to Bayern, Inter having poached former coach Hector Cuper, and Valencia used their break from the Champions League to win La Liga in 2001/02 despite scoring only 51 goals. Memorable players included Roberto Ayala and Pablo Aimar, once described as “more talented than Riquelme and Saviola” by Diego Maradona. Valencia won the league title again two years later as well as the Uefa Cup before Benitez left for Liverpool. They remain the last top-flight Spanish champions outside the current ‘Big Three’ of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid.