Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Zaragoza, in the
autonomous community of Aragon. Founded on 18 March 1932 it currently plays in
Segunda División, holding home games at La Romareda, which seats 34,596
spectators. The club has spent the majority of its
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. A government survey in 2007 found that
2.7% of the Spanish population support the club, making them the seventh-most
supported in the country. History
= Early years= 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, ending in seventh position out of 12 teams but being
relegated in 1941. The club returned to the top division one year later, only to
be immediately relegated back; it remained in Segunda División until the
end of the 1950–51 campaign, when it achieved promotion by finishing second
in a play-off league. On 8 September 1957 the team left its
original stadium, El Torrero, for La Romareda.
= The golden era= 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, Carlos Lapetra, Marcelino, Eleuterio Santos and Juan
Manuel Villa; 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.
= 1970s to the end of the century= Zaragoza finished third in 1973–74 and a
best-ever second in the following season, losing the title in the last
round to Real Madrid. The club was also defeated 0–1 in the 1976 domestic cup
final against Atlético Madrid, spending two seasons in the second level during
the decade, with promotion 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 play-offs 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. Víctor Fernández was appointed manager
in 1991. On 10 May 1995, one year after winning the Spanish Cup against Celta de
Vigo, Zaragoza conquered 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 level at 1–1, the two teams entered
extra time and, in the 120th minute, Nayim hit a half-volley from just past
the halfway line, putting it beyond the reach of David Seaman for the final 2–1;
the club then contested the 1995 UEFA Super Cup against AFC Ajax, losing 1–5
on aggregate despite a home draw in the first leg– the coach was dismissed from
his post in early November 1996, after only winning one league game that
season. = The 21st century=
The 2000s brought a further two Spanish Cups to Zaragoza's trophy cabinet,
including the 2003–04 edition against Real Madrid in Barcelona. The club,
however, also suffered top flight relegation in 2002 after narrowly
avoiding so the previous season, but achieved immediate promotion in 2003. 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 in charge he bought Pablo Aimar from Valencia CF for €11
million, and manager Fernández also returned to the club.
Mainly due to Diego Milito's 23 goals in 2006–07, 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
coach Fernández returned for a second spell, being sacked in January 2008 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.
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.
After four seasons mainly spent in the bottom half of the table, Zaragoza
returned to the "silver category" in 2013, finishing last.
Seasons = Recent seasons=
= Season to season= 58 seasons in La Liga
19 seasons in Segunda División 4 seasons in Tercera División
Current squad As of 21 August 2015
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules.
Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
= Out on loan= Note: Flags indicate national team as
defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA
nationality. Honours
= Domestic competitions= Copa del Rey: 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: 2004; Runner-up
1994, 2001 Segunda División: 1977–78
= European competitions= UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1994–95
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1963–64; Runner-up 1965–66
UEFA Super Cup: Runner-up 1995 = Pichichi Trophy=
Juan Seminario: 24 goals Records
= Club= Best La Liga position: 2nd
Worst La Liga position: 20th Overall La Liga historical
classification: 9th Greatest home win: Real Zaragoza 8–1
Español, Real Zaragoza 8–1 Sevilla Greatest away win: Elche 2–7 Real
Zaragoza Greatest home defeat: Real Zaragoza 1–7
Real Madrid Greatest away defeat: Athletic Bilbao
10–1 Real Zaragoza = Player=
Most matches: Xavier Aguado Most minutes: Xavier Aguado
Most goals all-time: Marcelino Most goals in one season: Ewerthon
Foreign player with most appearances: Gustavo Poyet
Red cards: Xavier Aguado Notable players
Note: this list includes players that have appeared in at least 100 league
games and/or have reached international status.
Managers References
External links Official website
Real Zaragoza at La Liga Real Zaragoza at UEFA