The 1998-99 campaign delivered a vital return to European football for Espanyol as Los Pericos clinched a respectable 7th-place finish in La Liga, securing qualification for the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Leading the charge was the emerging club legend Raúl Tamudo, whose 8 league goals proved decisive in a season built on a dramatic, late-season surge that saw them climb the table under manager Miguel Ángel Brindisi. It was a pivotal centenary year that marked the true beginning of the Tamudo era and remains a significant chapter in the club's modern history.