Real Zaragoza S.A.D.: The La Liga BBVA Team of the Week

Real Zaragoza S.A.D are the next team to be selected for the La Liga BBVA Team of the Week. It is a sense of justice for a club that recenty lost to Atletico Madrid.

It is also a step in the right direction for a club with financial problems. Real Zaragoza were recently under threat of relegation, but that is not the case at the present time.

History

Real Zaragoza S.A.D were founded in 1932 as a result of a merger between Iberia SC and Zaragoza. The club played its first match against a club called Jupiter in 1935 at Pueblo Nuevo in Barcelona.

The result was a victory for Zaragoza, and they received the nickname Los Alifantes. The person who invented the nickname wanted to use the word Elefante or Elephant but mispelled the word.

Zaragoza enjoyed only one brief match before the Spanish Civil War interrupted all sporting activity. During the years after the war, Zaragoza underwent a turbulent period including financial troubles.

There were times of promotion and relegation three times. Zaragoza underwent a name change and became Real Zaragoza C.D. in 1951 with the Spanish Royal Crown.

Real Zaragoza resolved most of their financial issues with the cancellation of their debt by selling their main stadium. Real Zaragoza managed to find money for the construction of a new stadium called La Romareda and it was dedicated in the late 1950s.

The 1960s-80s were a time called Los Magnificos (The Magnificent) and Los Zaraguayos (Paraguayan players in Zaragoza). It was a time when Real Zaragoza won the European Cup, UEFA Cup and La Copa de S.E. El Generalisimo (now Copa del Rey).

During this time, Real Zaragoza dedicated la Ciudad Deportiva (Sport City) for matches in four football fields. The Ciudad Deportiva boasted three swimming pools in the field.

The 1980s were marked by a victory in La Copa Del Rey. The 1990s were marked by a reorganization and change in name.  

Real Zaragoza C.D became Real Zaragoza S.A.D in 1991 when Alfonso Solans Serrano invested in the club. The purpose was to assure that the club could survive financially.

Real Zaragoza managed to participate in the European Cup Club of Champions during the 1990s. They defeated teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Gloria Batista,Tatran Presov and Feyenoord.

The 2012/13 La Liga BBVA Table has Real Zaragoza in 13th place with 22 points. The club experienced 11 losses, one defeat and seven victories.

Real Zaragoza have 21 goals for, 28 against and a differential of minus-seven. While they have managed to avoid relegation, Real Zaragoza have a long way to go before arriving at the top five of La Liga.

My thanks to the B/R readers for their time in reading another brief history of a La Liga club. My best wishes to all of you until next time.