1996–97 Real Zaragoza season

The 1996–97 season was the 62nd season for Real Zaragoza in its history. The club competed in La Liga and Copa del Rey.

Real Zaragoza S.A.D.

1996–97 season
Owner	Solans Family (64%)
President	Alfonso Solans
Head coach	Víctor Fernández (until 7 November 1996) Nieves (until 10 November 1996) Víctor Espárrago (until 27 January 1997) Luis Costa
Stadium	La Romareda
La Liga	14th
Copa del Rey	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Fernando Morientes (15 goals) All: Morientes (16 goals)
Home colours Away colours
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

Summary

During summer Alfonso Solans in his 5th season as President, reinforced the squad with several players such as midfielder Kily González^[1] and Brazilian centre back Gilmar whom were transferred in from Boca Juniors and Cruzeiro respectively. Also arrived midfielder Vladislav Radimov, Austrian Goalkeeper Otto Konrad, two defenders from Real Madrid left back Miquel Soler and right back Quique Sanchez Flores the latter discarded by Fabio Capello during pre-season.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]} On the contrary striker Sebastian Rambert, midfielder Sergio Berti, centre back Paqui, Goalkeeper Andoni Cedrun (after 12 campaigns),^[10] José Aurelio Gay (after 5 years) and Defender Fernando Caceres (after three seasons) all of them left the club. However, in his 6th season as head coach Victor Fernández found a chaotic start of season and after 9 winless matches, left the club after six years on 7 November 1996.^[11] President Solans appointed Víctor Espárrago as new manager only to drive the club to relegation zone.^[12] Finally, Luis Costa returned back after several years to Zaragoza^[13] and the squad avoided the Segunda Division on the final league rounds thanks to decent performances delivered by Gus Poyet, Fernando Morientes, Gustavo Adrián López and Kily González

Meanwhile, in Copa del Rey the club was early eliminated in Third round defeated by Racing Santander.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ESP Juanmi 2 DF  ESP Alberto Belsué 3 DF  ESP Jesús Solana 4 DF  ESP Luis Cuartero 5 MF  ESP Jesús García Sanjuan 6 DF  ESP Xavier Aguado 7 FW  ESP Miguel Pardeza 8 MF  ESP Santiago Aragon 9 FW  ESP Fernando Morientes 10 FW  ESP Francisco Higuera 11 MF  URU Gustavo Poyet 12 DF  BRA Gilmar

No. Pos. Nation Player 13 GK  ESP José Belman 14 MF  ESP Nayim 15 MF  ESP Oscar 16 DF  ESP Miquel Soler 17 MF  RUS Vladislav Radimov 18 MF  ARG Kily Gonzalez 19 FW  ARG Gustavo Adrián López 20 FW  ESP Daniel García Lara 21 MF  ESP Ander Garitano 22 DF  ESP Quique Sanchez Flores 25 GK  AUT Otto Konrad 26 FW  ESP Jesús Seba

Transfers

In
Pos.	Name	from	Type
MF	Kily Gonzalez	Boca Juniors
DF	Gilmar	Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
MF	Ander Garitano	Athletic Bilbao
DF	Miquel Soler	Real Madrid
DF	Quique Sanchez Flores	Real Madrid
MF	Vladislav Radimov	CSKA Moscow

Out
Pos.	Name	To	Type
DF	Fernando Caceres	Valencia CF
GK	Andoni Cedrun	Logroñes CF
DF	Paqui	Hercules CF
MF	Sergio Berti	CA River Plate
FW	Sebastian Rambert	Boca Juniors	loan ended
MF	Jose Aurelio Gay	Real Oviedo

Winter

In
Pos.	Name	from	Type
FW	Jesús Seba	Wigan Athletic
GK	Otto Konrad	Austria Salzburg

Out
Pos.	Name	To	Type

Competitions

La Liga

Main article: 1996–97 La Liga

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
12	Espanyol	42	14	9	19	51	57	−6	51
13	Racing Santander	42	11	17	14	52	54	−2	50[a]
14	Zaragoza	42	12	14	16	58	66	−8	50[a]
15	Sporting Gijón	42	13	11	18	45	63	−18	50[a]
16	Celta Vigo	42	12	13	17	51	54	−3	49

Source: LFP
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head goals scored; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored.
Notes:

1. RAC: 9 pts; ZAR: 6 pts; SPG: 3 pts

Position by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42
Ground	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H
Result	D	W	D	L	L	D	D	L	L	D	L	D	D	D	W	L	L	L	L	D	L	W	W	D	W	L	W	D	W	L	D	L	W	D	W	L	W	W	W	L	D	L
Position	10	7	9	13	18	19	18	18	19	19	20	20	20	20	18	19	19	19	21	21	22	20	18	18	18	18	17	17	14	16	16	18	16	18	14	16	14	12	11	13	12	14

Source: https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/t/t1997-9839.html?tab=partits
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss;   = Leader, 1997–98 UEFA Champions League Group stage;   = 1997–98 UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying round;   = 1997–98 UEFA Cup First round;   = 1997–98 Relegation playoff to 1997–98 Segunda Division;   = 1997–98 Segunda Division; R = 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

Matches

Real Zaragoza v Logroñes CF

1 September 1996 1	Real Zaragoza	2–2	Logroñes CF	Zaragoza
	Gus Poyet 20' Gus Poyet 49'		56' Manel 85' Manel	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 18,000

Sevilla CF v Real Zaragoza

8 September 1996 2	Sevilla CF	1–2	Real Zaragoza	Sevilla
	Mornar 90'		44' G. Lopez 47' Morientes	Stadium: Sanchez Pizjuan Attendance: 46,900

Real Zaragoza v Valencia CF

14 September 1996 3	Real Zaragoza	1–1	Valencia CF	Zaragoza
	Aguado 9'		44' Moya	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 18,000

Sporting Gijon v Real Zaragoza

22 September 1996 4	Sporting Gijon	2–0	Real Zaragoza	Zaragoza
	Nikiforov 19' Salinas 29'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 19350

Real Zaragoza v FC Barcelona

29 September 1996 5	Real Zaragoza	3–5	FC Barcelona	Zaragoza
	Gus Poyet 10' G. Lopez 36' G. Lopez 46'		21' Figo 53' Ronaldo 85' Ronaldo 72' (pen.) Popescu 81' Luis Enrique	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 34,000

Real Valladolid v Real Zaragoza

2 October 1996 6	Real Valladolid	1–1	Real Zaragoza	Valladolid
	Peternac 10'		67' Gus Poyet	Stadium: Estadio Jose Zorrilla Attendance: 16,000

Real Zaragoza v Athletic Bilbao

12 October 1996 7	Real Zaragoza	1–1	Athletic Bilbao	Zaragoza
	Higuera 46'		16' Ziganda	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 30000

Extremadura CF v Real Zaragoza

19 October 1996 8	Extremadura CF	2–1	Real Zaragoza	Extremadura
	Gluscevic 10' Gluscevic 65'		90' G. Lopez	Attendance: 8500

Real Zaragoza v Real Madrid

22 October 1996 9	Real Zaragoza	1–2	Real Madrid	Zaragoza
	Gus Poyet 50'		16'Suker 80' (pen.) Suker	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 30000

Celta Vigo v Real Zaragoza

27 October 1996 10	Celta Vigo	0–0	Real Zaragoza	Vigo
				Stadium: Balaidos Attendance: 13000

Real Zaragoza v Deportivo La Coruña

3 November 1996 11	Real Zaragoza	1–2	Deportivo La Coruña	Zaragoza
	Gus Poyet 29'		24' Beguiristain 66' Martin Vazquez	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 27000

Hercules CF v Real Zaragoza

10 November 1996 12	Hercules CF	1–1	Real Zaragoza	Alicante
	Jankovic 66'		74' Dani	Stadium: Estadio José Rico Perez Attendance: 17,000

Real Zaragoza v Real Betis

17 November 1996 13	Real Zaragoza	2–2	Real Betis	Zaragoza
	Dani 33' Dani 81'		48' Alexis 86' (pen.) Alexis	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 20,000

Rayo Vallecano v Real Zaragoza

24 November 1996 14	Rayo Vallecano	1–1	Real Zaragoza	Vallecas
	Andrijasevic 34'		54' Morientes	Stadium: Campo Vallecas

Real Zaragoza v Real Oviedo

1 December 1996 15	Real Zaragoza	1–0	Real Oviedo	Zaragoza
	Gus Poyet 34'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 22000

RCD Espanyol v Real Zaragoza

8 December 1996 16	RCD Espanyol	3–0	Real Zaragoza	Barcelona
	Francisco 31' Pochettino 45' Ouedec 79'			Attendance: 12000

Real Zaragoza v Racing Santander

22 December 1996 17	Real Zaragoza	0–2	Racing Santander	Zaragoza
			9' Schurrer 76' Bestchastnykh	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 18000

Real Sociedad v Real Zaragoza

5 January 1997 18	Real Sociedad	1–0	Real Zaragoza	Zaragoza
	Gracia 90'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 18000

Atletico Madrid v Real Zaragoza

12 January 1997 19	Atletico Madrid	5–1	Real Zaragoza	Madrid
	Caminero 1' Paunovic 38' Kiko 45' Kiko 54' Esnaider 67' (pen.)		53' Higuera	Stadium: Vicente Calderon Attendance: 35000

Real Zaragoza v CD Tenerife

19 January 1997 20	Real Zaragoza	1–1	CD Tenerife	Zaragoza
	Morientes 90'		69' Vivar Dorado	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 30000

SD Compostela v Real Zaragoza

26 January 1997 21	SD Compostela	2–1	Real Zaragoza	Zaragoza
	Ohen 56' Fabiano 76'		90' Morientes	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 12000

Logroñes CF v Real Zaragoza

2 February 1997 22	Logroñes CF	1–2	Real Zaragoza	Logroño
	Ruben Sosa 87'		51' Aragon 90' Gus Poyet	Attendance: 15000

Real Zaragoza v Sevilla CF

9 February 1997 23	Real Zaragoza	2–1	Sevilla CF	Zaragoza
	Higuera 25' Kily González 76'		56' Ramis	Stadium: La Romareda

Valencia CF v Real Zaragoza

15 February 1997 24	Valencia CF	1–1	Real Zaragoza	Valencia
	Claudio Lopez 13'		81' Kily González	Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 45000

Real Zaragoza v Sporting Gijon

19 February 1997 25	Real Zaragoza	5–0	Sporting Gijon	Zaragoza
	Aragon 33' Morientes 40' Morientes 43' Morientes 49' Radimov 81'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 35000

FC Barcelona v Real Zaragoza

23 February 1997 26	FC Barcelona	4–1	Real Zaragoza	Barcelona
	Abelardo 10' Ronaldo 40' (pen.) Ronaldo 45' Ronaldo 72'		81' (pen.) Garitano	Stadium: Camp Nou Attendance: 90,000

Real Zaragoza v Real Valladolid

2 March 1997 27	Real Zaragoza	1–0	Real Valladolid	Zaragoza
	Morientes 64'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 35000

Athletic Bilbao v Real Zaragoza

9 March 1997 27	Athletic Bilbao	2–2	Real Zaragoza	Bilbao
	Etxeberria 21' Karanka 32'		17' Poyet 90' Poyet	Stadium: San Mames Attendance: 37000

Real Zaragoza v Extremadura CF

16 March 1997 28	Real Zaragoza	3–1	Extremadura CF	Zaragoza
	Dani García 1' Morientes 52' Morientes 79'		18' Silvani	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 35000

Real Madrid v Real Zaragoza

23 March 1997 29	Real Madrid	2–0	Real Zaragoza	Madrid
	Hierro 35' Hierro 43'			Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu Attendance: 90000

Real Zaragoza v Celta de Vigo

30 March 1997 30	Real Zaragoza	1–1	Celta de Vigo	Zaragoza
	Morientes 10'		3' Moises	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 28000

Deportivo La Coruña v Real Zaragoza

6 April 1997 31	Deportivo La Coruña	1–0	Real Zaragoza	La Coruña
	Rivaldo 33'			Stadium: Riazor Attendance: 22000

Real Zaragoza v Hercules CF

13 April 1997 33	Real Zaragoza	2–0	Hercules CF	Zaragoza
	Kily González 22' Radimov 82'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 35,000

Real Betis v Real Zaragoza

16 April 1997 34	Real Betis	2–2	Real Zaragoza	Sevilla
	Alfonso 4' Alfonso 28' (pen.)		31' Nayim 83' (pen.) Aragon	Stadium: Benito Villamarin

Real Zaragoza v Rayo Vallecano

20 April 1997 34	Real Zaragoza	3–2	Rayo Vallecano	Zaragoza
	Gus Poyet 42' Morientes 52' Morientes 82'		3' Guilherme 19' Guilherme	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 25000

Real Oviedo v Real Zaragoza

4 May 1997 35	Real Oviedo	1–0	Real Zaragoza	Oviedo
	Oli 74'			Stadium: Carlos Tartiere Attendance: 19000

Real Zaragoza v RCD Espanyol

11 May 1997 36	Real Zaragoza	1–0	RCD Espanyol	Zaragoza
	Gus Poyet 76'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 32000

Racing Santander v Real Zaragoza

18 May 1997 37	Racing Santander	1–2	Real Zaragoza	Santander
	Merino 64'		33' Garitano 84' Gus Poyet	Stadium: El Sardinero Attendance: 14000

Real Zaragoza v Real Sociedad

25 May 1997 39	Real Zaragoza	3–0	Real Sociedad	Zaragoza
	Garitano 52' (pen.) Gustavo Lopez 62' Morientes 66'			Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 32000

Real Zaragoza v Atletico Madrid

2 June 1997 40	Real Zaragoza	2–3	Atletico Madrid	Zaragoza
	Morientes 50' Higuera 72'		20' Esnaider 28' Pantic 65' Caminero	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 25000

CD Tenerife v Real Zaragoza

15 June 1997 41	CD Tenerife	3–3	Real Zaragoza	Santa Cruz de Tenerife
	Chano 14' Neuville 57' Neuville 81'		16' Dani García 30' Gus Poyet 90' Higuera	Stadium: Heliodoro Rodriguez Attendance: 10000

Real Zaragoza v SD Compostela

22 June 1997 42	Real Zaragoza	1–3	SD Compostela	Zaragoza
	Higuera 39'		56' Penev 87' Penev 79' Manuel	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 28000

Copa del Rey

Main article: 1996–97 Copa del Rey

Second round

Real Unión v Real Zaragoza

6 November 1996	Real Unión	1-6	Real Zaragoza	Irun
				Stadium: Gal

Real Zaragoza v Real Unión

27 November 1996	Real Zaragoza	2-1	Real Unión	Zaragoza
				Stadium: La Romareda

Third round

Real Zaragoza v Racing Santander

8 January 1997	Real Zaragoza	1-1	Racing Santander	Zaragoza
				Stadium: La Romareda

Racing Santander v Real Zaragoza

15 January 1997	Racing Santander	1-0 (2-1 agg.)	Real Zaragoza	Santander
				Stadium: El Sardinero

Statistics

Players statistics

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		La Liga		Copa del Rey
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	ESP	Juanmi	28	-40	23+4	-40	1	0
2	DF	ESP	Belsue	37	0	36	0	1	0
12	DF	BRA	Gilmar	23	0	22	0	1	0
6	DF	ESP	Aguado	41	2	37	1	4	1
3	DF	ESP	Solana	42	0	39	0	3	0
11	MF	URU	Poyet	39	14	37+1	14	1	0
21	MF	ESP	Garitano	40	3	32+5	3	1+2	0
8	MF	ESP	Aragon	38	3	35+1	3	1+1	0
18	MF	ARG	Kily Gonzalez	34	4	27+3	3	3+1	1
9	FW	ESP	Morientes	40	16	26+11	15	2+1	1
19	FW	ARG	Lopez	35	4	31+2	4	1+1	0
25	GK	AUT	Konrad	19	-26	18	-25	1	-1
20	FW	ESP	Dani Garcia	36	6	21+12	5	3	1
10	FW	ESP	Higuera	37	7	18+16	6	1+2	1
4	DF	ESP	Cuartero	20	0	13+5	0	2	0
17	MF	RUS	Radimov	27	2	12+13	2	2	0
16	DF	ESP	Soler	17	0	10+5	0	2	0
22	DF	ESP	Sanchez Flores	10	0	8+1	0	1	0
15	MF	ESP	Oscar	12	0	6+3	0	2+1	0
14	MF	ESP	Nayim	24	2	5+16	1	3	1
5	MF	ESP	Garcia Sanjuan	15	0	4+8	0	2+1	0
7	FW	ESP	Pardeza	11	1	1+7	0	3	1
13	GK	ESP	Belman	3	-5	1	-3	2	-2
26	FW	ESP	Seba	1	0	0+1	0
	DF	ESP	Bosca	1	0	0	0	1	0

• Source: BDFutbol

See also

• BDFutbol