Spain Preview: New powers?

What happened last season atop the Spanish First Division standings occurred only one other time in the last 50 years: neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona finished in the top two.

Valencia took the La Liga crown, and Deportivo Coruna finished runner-up. Deportivo gave further notice that the two giants' stranglehold on Spanish soccer has loosened by beating Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Cup. The 2-1 win was particularly humiliating for Real Madrid - and especially satisfying for Madrid-haters - because the Spanish federation had allowed the game to be staged in Madrid on March 6, the date on which Real Madrid was founded in 1902.

While Deportivo muted Real Madrid's centenary celebration, Valencia was out to prove that it could break its habit of nose-diving after each brief run of success. And a setback did look likely because Valencia had lost its coach and best player in the offseason.

Argentine Hector Cuper, who had guided Los Chés to Champions League runner-up finishes in 2000 and 2001, left for Inter Milan, and midfielder Gaizka Mendieta went further south, to Lazio, on a $41 million transfer.

But Coach Rafael Benitez, despite suffering the indignity of getting knocked out of the UEFA Cup to Cuper's Inter, orchestrated Valencia's first La Liga win since Alfredo Di Stefano coached it to the 1971 crown.

Benitez put his faith in diminutive Argentina midfielder Pablo Aimar, who arrived the previous season at age 22 and hit excellent form in the midst of the title run.

That Valencia has been able to overcome the departures of players such as Mendieta and Claudio Lopez, the Argentine striker who spearheaded its 1999 Spanish Cup win and 2000 Champions League runner-up finish, bodes well for its future.

Likewise, Deportivo Coruna...