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, which forced the suspension of the competition for three years. The season started on December 3, 1939, and finished on April 28, 1940.

Primera División

Season	1939–40
Champions	Atlético Aviación (1st title)
Relegated	Betis Racing Santander
Matches played	132
Goals scored	501 (3.8 per match)
Top goalscorer	Victorio Unamuno (20 goals)
Biggest home win	Sevilla 8–2 Racing Santander
Biggest away win	Betis 0–4 Madrid FC
Highest scoring	Athletic Bilbao 7–5 Barcelona
Longest winning run	5 matches Atlético Madrid
Longest unbeaten run	7 matches Sevilla
Longest winless run	8 matches Zaragoza
Longest losing run	4 matches Athletic Bilbao Celta Español Racing Santander
← 1935–36 1940–41 →

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

Format changes

For this season, the 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

Valencia

Madrid FC

Betis

Ath. Aviación

Celta

Sevilla

Athletic

Racing

Español

Barcelona

Hércules

Zaragoza

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
Atlético Aviación	Madrid	Chamartín
Athletic Bilbao	Bilbao	San Mamés
Barcelona	Barcelona	Les Corts
Betis	Seville	Patronato Obrero
Celta	Vigo	Balaídos
Español	Barcelona	Sarriá
Hércules	Alicante	Bardín
Madrid FC	Madrid	Chamartín
Racing Santander	Santander	El Sardinero
Sevilla	Seville	Nervión
Valencia	Valencia	Mestalla
Zaragoza	Zaragoza	Torrero

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Atlético 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 FC	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[a]
8	Valencia	22	9	3	10	40	36	+4	21[a]
9	Barcelona	22	8	3	11	32	38	−6	19[b]
10	Celta (O)	22	9	1	12	45	50	−5	19[b]	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) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (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
Atlético 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 FC	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	Madrid FC	13
10	Simón Lecue	Madrid FC	12

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