Real Zaragoza

Full name	Real Zaragoza, S.A.D.
Nickname(s)	Blanquillos, Maños
Founded	1932
Ground	La Romareda, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain (capacity: 34,596)
Owner	Agapito Iglesias
President	Fernando Molinos
Manager	Manolo Jiménez
League	La Liga
2011–12	La Liga, 16th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. (Spanish pronunciation: [reˈal θaɾaˈɣoθa]) is a Spanish football team based in Zaragoza, in the autonomous community of Aragon. Founded on 18 March 1932, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at La Romareda, which seats 34,596 spectators.

The club spent the majority of its playing history in La Liga, winning the Copa del Rey six times and the 1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, amongst other trophies. Traditionally, team colours are white shirts and socks with royal blue shorts.

History [edit]

Real Zaragoza was originally formed from two rival teams: Iberia SC and Real Zaragoza CD. In 1939, after three years without football due to the Spanish Civil War, the team made its first appearance in La Liga.

On 8 September 1957, the team left its original stadium, El Torrero, for La Romareda.

The golden era [edit]

Beginning in the 1960–61 season, Zaragoza entered a period of great prosperity, showcasing some of the greatest players playing in Spain during that decade, which earned for themselves the designation of Los Magníficos. While the team failed to capture the league title, it did succeed in finishing in the top five every year until 1968–69, with two third-place finishes, and also won its first two Copa del Rey titles and the 1963–64 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Zaragoza's famous attacking line included Canário, Eleuterio Santos, Marcelino, Juan Manuel Villa and Carlos Lapetra; Peruvian Juan Seminario, who started his career in Spain with Los Maños before moving to FC Barcelona, won the Pichichi Trophy in the 1961–62 campaign, scoring 25 goals in 30 games as the team finished in fourth position.

'70s to the end of the century [edit]

The next 30 years provided Zaragoza with many highs and lows. The club finished third in 1973–74 and a best-ever second in the following season, losing the title in the last round to Real Madrid. Two seasons were spent in Segunda División during the decade, with promotion befalling at the first attempt on either occasion.

In 1986, Zaragoza won its third Spanish Cup, defeating Barcelona 1–0. The club finished the 1990–91 season in 17th position, thus having to appear in the promotion/relegation playoffs against Real Murcia: on 19 June 1991, after a 0–0 away draw, a 5–2 home win meant the team managed to maintain its top level status.

On 10 May 1995, one year after winning the domestic cup against Celta de Vigo, Real Zaragoza won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup against Arsenal at the Parc des Princes in Paris, after having disposed of the likes of Feyenoord and Chelsea along the way. With the score tied at 1–1, the two teams entered extra time and, in the 120th minute, midfielder Nayim hit a half-volley from just past the halfway line, putting it beyond the reach of David Seaman for the final 2–1.^[1]

The 21st century [edit]

The 2000s brought a further two Spanish Cups to Zaragoza's trophy cabinet, including the 2003–04 edition against Real Madrid, in Barcelona (3–2 after extra time). In late May 2006, Agapito Iglesias bought Alfonso Solans' shares and took control of the club, promising to build one of the strongest teams in Spain and Europe. In his first year, he bought Pablo Aimar from Valencia CF for €11 million.

Thanks to Diego Milito's 23 goals in 2006–07 (he finished third to Roma's Francesco Totti and Real Madrid's Ruud van Nistelrooy - 26 and 25 goals, respectively - in the European Golden Shoe race), Real Zaragoza finished in sixth position, thus qualifying to the UEFA Cup. The following season, however, ended in relegation - for the second time in the decade - with the side also being eliminated in the first round in European competition; legendary club manager Víctor Fernández returned for a second spell as coach, being sacked in January 2008^[2] as the club had four managers during the campaign; in the last round, a brace from Ricardo Oliveira proved insufficient in a 2–3 away loss against RCD Mallorca, with the team totalling 42 points to CA Osasuna's 43.

Real Zaragoza achieved promotion from the second division at the first attempt. In the last game, on 20 June 2009, the team drew 2–2 at Rayo Vallecano, with goals from youth graduate David Generelo and ex-Real Madrid defender Francisco Pavón, only trailing champions Xerez CD in the table.

Seasons [edit]

Recent seasons [edit]

Season	Leg.	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Europe		Notes
1997–98	1D	13	38	12	12	14	45	53	48	Semifinals
1998–99	1D	9	38	16	9	13	57	46	57	3rd Round
1999–00	1D	4	38	16	15	7	60	40	63	Last 16
2000–01	1D	17	38	9	15	14	54	57	42	Winner	UC	1st Round
2001–02	1D	20	38	9	10	19	35	54	37	1st Round	UC	2nd Round	Relegated
2002–03	2D	2	42	20	12	10	54	40	72	2nd Round			Promoted
2003–04	1D	12	38	13	9	16	46	55	48	Winner
2004–05	1D	12	38	14	8	16	52	57	50	2nd Round	UC	Last 16
2005–06	1D	11	38	10	16	12	46	51	46	Runners Up
2006–07	1D	6	38	16	12	10	55	43	60	Quarterfinals
2007–08	1D	18	38	10	12	16	50	61	42	Last 16	UC	1st Round	Relegated
2008–09	2D	2	42	23	12	7	79	42	81	2nd Round			Promoted
2009–10	1D	14	38	10	11	17	46	64	41	Last 32
2010–11	1D	13	38	12	9	17	40	53	45	Last 32
2011–12	1D	16	38	12	7	19	36	61	43	Last 32

Season to season [edit]

• 58 seasons in La Liga
• 16 seasons in Segunda División
• 4 seasons in Tercera División

Current squad [edit]

As of 31 January 2013

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Roberto (2nd captain) 2 MF José María Movilla 3 DF Javier Paredes (captain) 4 DF Álvaro González 5 DF Maurizio Lanzaro 6 FW Rodri (on loan from Barcelona B) 7 FW Henri Bienvenu (on loan from Fenerbahçe) 8 MF Edu Oriol 9 FW Hélder Postiga (3rd captain) 10 MF Apoño 11 MF Paco Montañés 12 MF Romaric 13 GK Leo Franco 14 DF José Manuel Fernández

No. Position Player 15 MF José Mari 16 DF Glenn Loovens 17 MF Stefan Babović 18 MF Lucas Wilchez (on loan from Colo-Colo) 19 DF Cristian Săpunaru 20 MF Franco Zuculini 21 DF Abraham Minero 22 MF Ádám Pintér 23 MF Javi Álamo 24 FW Rubén Rochina (on loan from Blackburn) 25 MF Adrià Carmona (on loan from Milan) 30 GK Pablo Alcolea 32 MF Víctor Rodríguez — DF Ivan Obradović

Out on loan [edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player — DF Víctor Laguardia (at Alcorcón until 30 June 2013) — MF Lucas Porcar (at Xerez CD until 30 June 2013) — FW Luis García (at Tigres until 30 June 2013)

Honours [edit]

Domestic competitions [edit]

• Copa del Rey (6): 1963–64, 1965–66, 1985–86, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2003–04; Runner-up 1962–63, 1964–65, 1975–76, 1992–93, 2005–06

• Supercopa de España (1): 2004; Runner-up 1994, 2001

• Segunda División (1): 1977–78

European competitions [edit]

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1): 1994–95

• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1): 1963–64; Runner-up 1965–66

• UEFA Super Cup: Runner-up 1995

Pichichi Trophy [edit]

• Juan Seminario: 24 goals (1961–62)

Records [edit]

Club [edit]

• Best La Liga position: 2nd (1974–75)
• Worst La Liga position: 20th (2001–02)
• Overall La Liga historical classification: 9th

• Greatest home win: Real Zaragoza 8–1 Español (1978–79), Real Zaragoza 8–1 Sevilla (1987–88)
• Greatest away win: Elche 2–7 Real Zaragoza (1960–61)

• Greatest home defeat: Real Zaragoza 1–7 Real Madrid (1987–88)
• Greatest away defeat: Athletic Bilbao 10–1 Real Zaragoza (1951–52)

Player [edit]

• Most matches: Xavier Aguado (473)
• Most minutes: Xavier Aguado (33,480)
• Most goals all-time: Marcelino (117)
• Most goals in one season: Ewerthon (28, 2008–09)
• Foreign player with most appearances: Gustavo Poyet (239)
• Red cards: Xavier Aguado (18)

Notable players [edit]

Managers [edit]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Real Zaragoza

• Official website (Spanish)
• Futbolme team profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol team profile
• Unofficial website (Spanish)