ɪnðə lˈæst mˈætʃdeɪ, fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ɐ θɹˈiː tˈuː hˈoʊm dᵻfˈiːt ʌv vɐlˈɛnʃiə sˌiːˈɛf ænd kˈɜːɾəsi əvɚ ɹˈaɪvəldˌoʊ ˈeɪɾi sˈɛvənθmˈɪnɪt wˈʌndɚ ɡˈoʊl, ðeɪ mˈænɪdʒd tə kwˈɔlᵻfˌaɪ fɚðə tʃˈæmpiənz lˈiːɡ; ðɪs ɹɪzˈʌltᵻd ɪn hˌɪm bˌiːɪŋ ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd kˈoʊtʃ baɪ dʒˈoʊn ɡˈæspɑːɹt fɚðə fˈɑːloʊɪŋ sˈiːzən, bˌʌt ˈæftɚ bˌiːɪŋ ˈaʊstᵻd baɪ ɹˈiːəl mədɹˈɪd ɪnðə sˈɛmaɪfˈaɪnəlz ʌvðə tʃˈæmpiənz lˈiːɡ, baɪ jˌuːˈiː fˈiːɡɚz ɪnðə spˈænɪʃ kˈʌp ænd hˌævɪŋ lˈɔst ðə fˈaɪnəl ʌvðə kˈoʊpə kˌæɾɐlˈʌnjə tə sˌiːˈɛf bˈæleɪɡɚ, hiː wʌz fˈaɪɚd ænd ɹᵻplˈeɪst baɪ ɐ ɹᵻtˈɜːnɪŋ lˈuːi vˈæn ɡˈɑːl, kəntˈɪnjuːɪŋ tə wˈɜːk wɪððə klˈʌb ɪn dᵻɹɪktˈoːɹɪəl kəpˈæsᵻɾiz.
In the last matchday, following a 3–2 home defeat of Valencia CF and courtesy of a Rivaldo 87th-minute wonder goal, they managed to qualify for the Champions League; this resulted in him being appointed coach by Joan Gaspart for the following season, but after being ousted by Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League, by UE Figueres in the Spanish Cup and having lost the final of the Copa Catalunya to CF Balaguer, he was fired and replaced by a returning Louis van Gaal, continuing to work with the club in directorial capacities.