It is not the first time Real Zaragoza have produced a reaction of this magnitude. Just three rounds ago, against Atlético Madrileño, the white-and-blue side also clung on until the final moment to avoid defeat. On that occasion, goals in the 99th minute from Iranzo and the 102nd from Jardí allowed the Aragonese team to rescue another point when the match appeared to be decided. Two dramatic finales have made it clear that the Zaragoza side possesses a quality that goes beyond its results: it never gives up.
Furthermore, this season's figures support that impression. So far, after ten rounds, Real Zaragoza have suffered just one defeat: their debut in Tarragona, an unusual match in which their lack of accuracy in attack prevented them from taking anything positive. Since then, Ibai Gómez's side have faced different scenarios against numerous opponents and have shown themselves in every one to be a highly competitive team that must be beaten twice if anyone is to overcome it.
Jardí and Cuenca celebrate the equalizer against Atlético Madrileño. Photo: Real Zaragoza
One example is that Real Zaragoza have scored eight of their 19 league goals from the 80th minute onward, a figure representing more than 42% of their attacking output. Four came between the 80th and 90th minutes, while the other four were scored during second-half stoppage time. In other words, practically one in every two goals from the white-and-blue side has arrived when matches were entering their decisive phase.
GOAL DISTRIBUTION
The distribution of the goals also shows how the Aragonese team grows stronger as the minutes pass. The period between the 60th and 70th minutes accounts for another three goals, while two arrived between the 30th and 40th minutes. The rest are spread across different stages of the matches, with one goal between the 20th and 30th minutes, another just before halftime, one between the 45th and 50th minutes and two between the 50th and 60th. But it is in the final quarter of an hour that Real Zaragoza have found one of their main trademarks.
Behind that ability to withstand pressure and push until the end lies the personality Ibai Gómez is trying to instill in his team. The coach has built a unit that does not settle when things become difficult, continues to seek out the opposition's penalty area and maintains its confidence even when the score appears to be going against it. That persistence has already allowed Real Zaragoza to collect important points and remain at the top of the table.
With 21 points, sharing the lead with Villarreal B, Real Zaragoza are showing that their strength lies not only in their football or their style of play. It is also found in their character, collective belief and that fighting spirit that drives them to battle until the final second. Because this season, in the Aragonese capital, the familiar phrase is more alive than ever: Zaragoza never gives up.
