Real Zaragoza

Football club infobox
clubname = Real Zaragoza


fullname = Real Zaragoza
nickname = "Blanquillos",
"Maños"
founded = 1932
ground = La Romareda,
Zaragoza, Aragón,
Spain
capacity = 34,596
chairman = flagicon|Spain Eduardo Bandrés
manager = flagicon|Spain Marcelino García Toral
league = Segunda División
season = 2007-08
position = La Liga, 18th (Relegated)
shirtsupplier=
shirtsponsors=
pattern_la1=| pattern_b1=| pattern_ra1=| pattern_sh1=| leftarm1=FFFFFF| body1=FFFFFF| rightarm1=FFFFFF| shorts1=191970| socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_blackstripes|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=000000|body2=FFCC00|rightarm2=000000|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000

Real Zaragoza is a Spanish football team from Zaragoza in Aragón. Founded on March 18, 1932, it will play the 2008/09 season in the "Segunda División". They play in white with blue shorts. The home stadium is the "La Romareda" that seats 34,596 spectators.

History

Real Zaragoza was originally formed out of two rival teams, "Iberia SC" and "Real Zaragoza CD". By the 1930s, the team was making headway in La Liga, but the Civil War put a brake on a lot of the progress made.

On September 8, 1957 the team left their original stadium (the "Torrero") for the La Romareda. It was not until the 1960s that Zaragoza would see their first successes, in the "Copa del Rey" and in the Fairs Cup. The Real Zaragoza side of this era contained "los Magnificos" ("the Greats"), an attacking line of Canario, Santos, Marcelino, Villa and Lapetra. Other notable players included Reija and Violeta in defence. Fans of the side had to wait until the 1980s to experience another victory in the cup competition.

Real Zaragoza have played the majority of their history, a total of 45 seasons, in the "Primera División". Being more of a specialist cup side, they have not managed to win the league, although they have come second on one occasion. In the 2001-02 season they were relegated from the "Primera" for the first time in 25 years; however, they earned promotion back to the "Primera" the following season.

In late May 2006, Agapito Iglesias bought Alfonso Solans' shares and took the control of Real Zaragoza. Agapito promised to build one of the strongest team in Spain and Europe. In his first year owning Real Zaragoza, Agapito bought Pablo Aimar for 11 million euros to reinforce the midfield. In a poll in 2007, Zaragoza fans voted Aimar the teams greatest ever player.Fact|date=December 2007

Thanks to Diego Milito's 23 goals in 2006/07 (he finished third to AS Roma's Francesco Totti and Real Madrid CF's Ruud Van Nistelrooy, 26 and 25 goals, respectively, for the European Golden Shoe), Real Zaragoza managed a very respectable 6th place finish, qualifying for Europe. However, despite having nearly the same squad as they had during the previous campaign, the 2007/08 season would finish with this Zaragoza team becoming one of the most disappointing and underachieving teams in La Liga history. They crashed out in the first round of the UEFA Cup. By the turn of the year, they found themselves slipping further and further down the table. Gaffer Víctor Fernández was sacked, and 3 different managers, culminating with former Zaragoza standout Manolo Villanova, were brought in from January to May in a desperate attempt to change Zaragoza's fortunes. Largely due to having managed only a dismal 8 points from 18 away fixtures (despite having managed 34 from all their games at La Romareda), they went into their final fixture of the season needing a win to guarantee their Primera División survival. Kickoff was delayed for over an hour due to a torrential downpour, but not even the rain could keep Zaragoza from relegation as they fell to Real Mallorca 3-2, despite 2 goals from Ricardo Oliveira and at 1-1 looking like they might stay up.

Honours

Winners

*Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1
**1965

*UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1
**1995

*Copa del Rey: 6
**1965, 1966, 1986, 1994, 2001, 2004

*Spanish Supercup: 1
**2004

* Segunda División: 1
** 1978

Runners-up

*Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1
**1966

*La Liga: 1
**1974-75

*Copa del Rey: 6
**1963, 1965, 1976, 1993, 2006

*Spanish Supercup: 2
**1994, 2001

* Segunda División: 6
** 1929, 1936, 1942, 1951, 1956, 2003

Current squad

"The numbers are established according to the official website: [http://www.realzaragoza.com www.realzaragoza.com] and [http://www.lfp.es www.lfp.es]

"As of August 21 2008"

Out

Fs player|no=1|nat=Spain|name=César Sánchez|pos=GK to Tottenham HotspurFs player|no=11|nat=Spain|name=Juanfran|pos=DF to AEK AthensFs player|no=5|nat=Spain|name=Óscar|pos=MF to OlympiacosFs player|no=8|nat=Argentina|name=Pablo Aimar|pos=MF to Benfica LisbonFs player|no=22|nat=Argentina|name=Diego Milito|pos=FW to Genoa CFCFs player|no=9|nat=Spain|name=Sergio García|pos=FW to Real BetisFs player|no=7|nat=France|name=Peter Luccin|pos=MF to Racing SantanderFs player|no=17|nat=Spain|name=Adrián Ripa|pos=MF to SD Huesca

tatistics 2008/09

*Top Scorers:
**Diego Milito - 1 goals
*Top Goalkeepers
**López Vallejo - 2 goals in 1 Matches

Recent History

:"see also cl|Real Zaragoza managers"

ee also

*Real Zaragoza B, "Real Zaragoza's reserve team, formerly called Deportivo Aragón".

External links

*Es icon [http://www.realzaragoza.com/ Real Zaragoza Official Website]
* [http://english.nuestrozaragoza.com/ Real Zaragoza Unofficial Website]
* [http://www.football-lineups.com/games/?t=Real%20Zaragoza%20Campaign&campaign=13.50 Real Zaragoza formations at football-lineups]