2013–14 season | |||
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Chairman | Amadeo Salvo | ||
Manager |
Miroslav Đukić (until 16 December 2013) |
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La Liga | 8th | ||
Copa del Rey | Round of 32 | ||
UEFA Europa League | Semi-finals | ||
Top goalscorer |
League: Jonas (9) All: Alcácer (14) |
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Miroslav Đukić (until 16 December 2013)
The 2013–14 season was Valencia Club de Fútbol's 96th in existence and the club's 27th consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football.
Valencia endured its worst domestic season since 2007–08, following a serious hamstring injury to star goalkeeper Diego Alves. Contrary to the previous four seasons under the guidance of Unai Emery, Mauricio Pellegrino, Ernesto Valverde and Miroslav Đukić, Valencia's offense malfunctioned, and in December Đukić was let go by the club, with successful former San Lorenzo coach Juan Antonio Pizzi taking over.
With Pizzi at the helm, Valencia managed to salvage some respectability by reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Sevilla. Following that narrow defeat, Valencia failed to qualify to Europe for the next season for the first time since 1997–98 due to a lowly eighth-place finish in La Liga. In June 2014, the club was sold to Singaporean consortium Peter Lim.
Valencia continued its increasingly frustrating run without the league title, which was extended to ten years following a chaotic season. Coach Miroslav Đukić was fired when the side did not perform to the expected level, and the season saw a further two coaches (Nicolás Estévez and Juan Antonio Pizzi) trying to lead Valencia without much success. Under Pizzi's reign, Valencia recorded a surprise 3–2 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou in February and a 2–2 draw against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in May. Despite the chaos, the side managed to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, where it lost to eventual champions Sevilla.