28/05/2005
1-3: A sweet farewell

Owen, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo sealed the last triumph of the season in a game where there was nothing to play for, and both Zaragoza and Real Madrid made the last goodbye of the season a thrillling one. Despite the tie achieved by Óscar, Luxemburgo´s players always controlled the game easily, and could even increase their goal numbers. It will be on the 8th of July when the team will once again prepare to fight again when the team will return to prepare to fight anew for the League title.

A new footballing exercise is over, and they did it at La Romareda with two teams which were only playing for honour. For Madrid, Beckham who was out, sanctioned, and his place was filled by Celades, who in this way finished his time in a white shirt, and with the return of Helguera replacing Pavón. Luxemburgo wanted to conclude the League with their tenth undefeated match. Meanwhile, Zaragoza were calm on their side of the table, and were only left with the objective of trying to reach eighth place. Everybody wanted to dedicate the game to the recently retired goalie, César Lainez, who felt the affection of the fans at the end of the match.

There were no tactical variations compared to previous matches, Madrid waited to comand their rival, and waited patiently for a counter attack to combine Owen and Ronaldo who were up against five players of Víctor Muñoz´s squad, while their companions attacked. Despite the local dominance, their hardest attacks were provoked by loose balls, where the good lineup of Helguera, Zidane and Gravesen disrupted any worry for Casillas. With Míchel Salgado enjoying himself alone on the right wing, the control of the game was for Raúl and Zidane. The Frenchman, more active than in previous games, would be a star later on.

Deserved draws
When they got past the wall formed by Cani and Movilla they found space to connect with the forwards, and to look for chances, as they did in Seville 15 days ago. In a similar play, the number 5 shot from thirty metres, Luis García didn´t manage to control the ball, and Owen, always lying in wait, opened up the scoreboard (min.24). In their first swipe, Real Madrid had hit the bullseye. Zaragoza were suffering, but kept on with their plan, with Galletti and Savio coming in from the wings, and Óscar forming the link in the middle and Villa, who until that moment had not been seen. Just on the cusp of the halftime, the connection bore fruit and Óscar made the equalizer (43´) which reflected the even nature of the game in the first half and which ended with no upsets in either area.

Figo comes on, Roberto Carlos scores
With the hug between Savio, ex -Madrid player, and Roberto Carlos, and the exchange of Figo for Owen, the last forty five minutes of the season began. Tactically there were no major changes as the Portuguese came in from the right and the centre also. With greater ball possession, Madrid´s players pushed the pressure of the game higher to say goodbye to the footballing year with a victory. And rapidly they put themselves up (53rd minute). A bolt by Roberto Carlos, supported by Zidane, and continued by Raúl, and ended by the Brazilian reached the objective set by Luxemburgo.

On the side various variations were being cooked up. Guti and Solari increased the pace of their warming up and the coach would soon need them, while Figo was on the point of getting the third, but Luis García blocked this chance. Zidane went off to an ovation from La Romareda, replaced by the Argentinian, while the number 14 substituted the do-it-all man, Raúl, also praised by the local fans. Now the landscape really did change. Ronaldo went to the right, Solari came in on the left, and Guti and Figo looked for the finisher and looked for space. For Zaragoza, only Savio and Cani rebelled against a defeat which was about to be greater. If Luis García had failed in the first goal for the visitors, his actions became decisive to not let in more.

Víctor Muñoz put his men into attack, even at the risk of leaving his defence open. First with Camacho, and later with Cuartero and Piti. But time was running out and victory was going to the visitors side, who expertly managed the final minutes. Eighth victory in the last ten matches which serves to say farewell with a good taste in their mouths at the end of the season. The campaign of 2005-06 will start again on the eihgth of July.

29.05.2005 08:06 +0400
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