2009–10 La Liga
The 2009–10 La Liga season (known as the Liga BBVA for sponsorship reasons) was the 79th La Liga since its establishment. Barcelona were the defending champions, having won their 19th La Liga title in the previous season. The campaign began on 29 August 2009 ended on 16 May 2010 due to all top-flight European leagues ending earlier than the previous season because of 2010 FIFA World Cup. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2008–09 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División. In addition, a new match ball – the Nike T90 Ascente – served as the official ball for all matches.
| Season | 2009–10 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 29 August 2009 – 16 May 2010 |
| Champions | Barcelona 20th title |
| Relegated | Valladolid Tenerife Xerez |
| Champions League | Barcelona (group stage) Real Madrid (group stage) Valencia (group stage) Sevilla (playoff round) |
| Europa League | Atlético Madrid (group stage (via UEFA Europa League) Getafe (playoff round) Villarreal (playoff round) |
| Matches played | 380 |
| Goals scored | 1,031 (2.71 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Lionel Messi (34 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Real Madrid 6–0 Zaragoza (19 December 2009) |
| Biggest away win | Tenerife 0–5 Barcelona (10 January 2010) |
| Highest scoring | Real Madrid 6–2 Villarreal (21 February 2010) |
← 2008–09 2010–11 → | |
On 16 May 2010, Barcelona won their 20th La Liga title with a home 4–0 victory over Valladolid. Lionel Messi won the La Liga award for Best Player for the second consecutive time.
Real Madrid's 96 points made them the runners-up with the highest points total in the history of Europe's top five leagues, until surpassed by Liverpool's 97 points in the 2018–19 Premier League.