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Played
August 28, 2011 2:00 PM EDT
Estadio de la Romareda — Zaragoza
Referee: César Muñiz Fernández
Attendance: 30000
August 28, 2011 2:00 PM EDT
Estadio de la Romareda — Zaragoza
Referee: César Muñiz Fernández
Attendance: 30000
La Liga Preview: Real Zaragoza - Real Madrid
The top division in Spain finally starts this weekend as the capital giants meet Javier Aguirre's side in an interesting encounter at La Romareda.
By Martin Macdonald
Getty
| PROBABLE LINE-UPS |
| Real Zaragoza (4-4-2): Franco, Juarez, Mateos, Lanzaro, Arango; Pinter, Ponzio, Lafita, Minero; Perez, Uche |
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Javier Aguirre's outfit has seen a number of changes over the summer, with nine new additions being made to the Zaragoza side.
New recruits include experienced center back Fernando Meira, and on-loan Portuguese star Ruben Micael, but the latter is unlikely to make his debut at this stage. Recent signing Pablo Barrera from West Ham should make the bench.
| Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Coentrao; Xabi Alonso, Khedira; Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo; Benzema |
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Jose Mourinho has improved his squad with a number of signings during the offseason, but few, if any of the new faces are likely to be considered to compete at La Romareda.
Former Benfica man Fabio Coentrao may be given the nod at left back, while Nuri Sahin is fighting to overcome a knee injury. Otherwise, the Portuguese coach should have a clean bill ahead of the delayed start to the campaign.
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DID YOU KNOW? |
- Real Madrid dropped only six points at home last season, and one of the sides that
managed to grab a win at the Santiago Bernabeu was this week's opponents.
- Prior to the recent Supercopa loss to Barcelona, Madrid's last away defeat in all competitions came against Osasuna on Jan.30 when it lost 1-0.
- Last season, Jose Mourinho's men scored most of their goals in the league between the 16th and 30th minute and conceded most between the 46th and 60th minute.
- Cristiano Ronaldo attempted a shot at goal 250 times last season in La Liga.
- Real Zaragoza's highest league appearances last season were made by Gabi and Jiri Jarosik, who are both no longer with the club after moving on to Atletico Madrid and Sparta Prague respectively.
- Javier Aguirre's side performed twice as well at home as it did away last season, notching up 30 points at La Romareda and 15 on the road.
- In the last campaign, Zaragoza conceded most of its goals between the 76th and the 90th minute.
- Zaragoza scored well under half the amount of goals that the club's weekend counterparts managed to notch up last season, with just 40 goals to Madrid's 102.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Zaragoza 0-4 Real Madrid
- 17.42 %
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Zaragoza 0-3 Real Madrid
- 16.67 %
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Zaragoza 0-5 Real Madrid
- 10.21 %
| La Liga (LIGA) | Jan 28, 2012 | Real Madrid 3 - Zaragoza 1 |
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| La Liga (LIGA) | Aug 28, 2011 | Zaragoza 0 - Real Madrid 6 |
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| La Liga (LIGA) | Apr 30, 2011 | Real Madrid 2 - Zaragoza 3 |
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| La Liga (LIGA) | Dec 12, 2010 | Zaragoza 1 - Real Madrid 3 |
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| La Liga (LIGA) | Apr 24, 2010 | Zaragoza 1 - Real Madrid 2 |
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Zaragoza
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| May 13, 2012 | Getafe 0 - Zaragoza 2 | LIGA |
| May 5, 2012 | Zaragoza 2 - Racing 1 | LIGA |
| May 2, 2012 | Zaragoza 1 - Levante 0 | LIGA |
| Apr 29, 2012 | Zaragoza 2 - Athletic Bilbao 0 | LIGA |
| Apr 21, 2012 | Mallorca 1 - Zaragoza 0 | LIGA |
Real Madrid
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| May 13, 2012 | Real Madrid 4 - Mallorca 1 | LIGA |
| May 5, 2012 | Ciudad de Murcia 1 - Real Madrid 2 | LIGA |
| May 2, 2012 | Athletic Bilbao 0 - Real Madrid 3 | LIGA |
| Apr 29, 2012 | Real Madrid 3 - Sevilla 0 | LIGA |
| Apr 25, 2012 | Real Madrid 2 - Bayern 1 | UCL |
- La Liga's Bosman list: Albelda, Maresca, Palop and the players available for free in Spain
- Mourinho, Guardiola and the nominees for Goal.com's Coach of the Season in La Liga
- La Liga Team of the Week Round 38: Ozil and Raul Garcia make seventh appearance while Tamudo debuts
- Pedro: I dedicate my goal to Abidal
| 1 | Roberto | Goalkeeper |
| 21 | Minero | Defender |
| 3 | Paredes | Defender |
| 2 | Fernando Meira | Defender |
| 14 | Darabantex | Defender |
| 16 | Efraín Juárez | Defender |
| 20 | Franco Zuculini | Midfielder |
| 17 | Lafita | Midfielder |
| 25 | Leonardo Ponzio | Defender |
| 12 | Uche | Striker |
| 16 | Pablo Edson Barrera | Striker |
| 25 | Leo Franco | Goalkeeper |
| 22 | Ádám Pintér | Defender |
| 5 | Maurizio Lanzaro | Defender |
| 29 | Kevin | Midfielder |
| 27 | Joel Valencia | Striker |
| 26 | Ortí | Striker |
| 1 | Iker Casillas | Goalkeeper |
| 12 | Marcelo | Defender |
| 3 | Pepe | Defender |
| 2 | Ricardo Carvalho | Defender |
| 4 | Sergio Ramos | Defender |
| 22 | Á. di María | Midfielder |
| 15 | Fabio Coentrao | Defender |
| 10 | Mesut Özil | Midfielder |
| 14 | Xabi Alonso | Midfielder |
| 7 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Striker |
| 9 | Karim Benzema | Striker |
| 13 | Adán | Goalkeeper |
| 17 | Arbeloa | Defender |
| 18 | Raúl Albiol Tortajada | Defender |
| 19 | Raphaël Varane | Defender |
| 8 | Kaká | Midfielder |
| 20 | Gonzalo Higuaín | Striker |
| 21 | Callejón | Striker |
1 
21 
3 
2 
14 
16 
20 
17 
25 
12 
16 
1 
12 
3 
2 
4 
22 
15 
10 
14 
7 
9
Results
Times In EDT
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lionel Messi
Striker Barcelona |
50 | 10 |
|
Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker Real Madrid |
46 | 12 |
|
Radamel Falcao
Striker Atlético de Madrid |
24 | 5 |
|
Gonzalo Higuaín
Striker Real Madrid |
22 | 0 |
|
Karim Benzema
Striker Real Madrid |
21 | 0 |