Gonzalo García de Vitoria has added one of his final pieces to preseason, and one of the most important players in the squad is Casademont Zaragoza's new leader, Trae Bell-Haynes. The Canadian arrived in the Aragonese capital on Thursday afternoon to undergo his medical examination and will now join training with the rest of his teammates.
Red Tide fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the new season, and Casademont Zaragoza has organized an open training session for the men's team this coming Wednesday. Supporters will be able to see the new players up close and watch Gonzalo García de Vitoria's team at work.
Zaragoza will become the home of Spanish inline hockey this weekend with the men’s and women’s Spanish Super Cups, taking place from September 5 to 6. Both competitions will be held at the San Juan de Mozarrifar Municipal Sports Center and contested by the eight top teams in the country.
The third and final player to speak after signing for Real Zaragoza was Marco Sangalli. The right-back, who arrives from Racing de Santander, has trained on his own throughout the summer after becoming a free agent on June 30. He says he has worked in good condition and hopes to be “100% as soon as possible.”
Just as Real Zaragoza made its Primera RFEF debut last Sunday with a defeat in Tarragona, Joan Masip Vidal will make his debut in Spain's third-tier division this weekend at Ibercaja Estadio. The Catalan referee will officiate the match between Ibai Gómez's side and Antequera this Saturday at 9:00 p.m. at the Zaragoza stadium.
The list is getting shorter. Another player from the disastrous squad that sent Real Zaragoza out of professional football last season has found a new destination. Juan Larios, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the Aragonese club, will continue playing in Segunda División after joining Eldense for the next two seasons.
Rubén Iranzo is set to play an important role at the heart of Real Zaragoza's defense. After joining Ibai Gómez's squad several days ago and being included in the squad for the opening match in Tarragona, where he did not play, he was presented Thursday as the club's newest signing and stressed that he has arrived to play as a natural center-back.
Óscar Ureña was almost an improvised signing for Real Zaragoza following Emil Hansson's forced departure for personal reasons. The Spanish-Dominican winger was unveiled on Thursday and already says he is ready to compete, insisting he is at 100% despite not having completed preseason with any team after spending the entire summer as a free agent.
Real Zaragoza sporting director Lalo Arantegui has echoed coach Ibai Gómez: the team must lead the third tier, now called Primera RFEF. Speaking Thursday, he said the team is in good shape despite the defeat. "We are ready sooner than I thought," he said of the goal of winning the group.
Real Zaragoza closed the transfer window on Tuesday with several deals that remained possibilities but ultimately came to nothing, at least for now. One involved Yussif Saidu, who could have left the club but eventually stayed in the Aragonese capital. Regarding the winter window, sporting director Lalo Arantegui acknowledges that changes could take place.
That makes two. For the second day in a row, Real Zaragoza have all their players available. So far, the team has no injuries, an issue that hampered the club last season. Coach Ibai Gómez can choose his lineup without constraints.
It has been a week of arrivals at Casademont Zaragoza. After preseason began on August 17, the club is welcoming back its international players, who had been competing in World Cup qualifying with their national teams: Nico Brussino, Trae Bell-Haynes and Robert Blumbergs. The Latvian power forward was presented as the club's newest player on Thursday, ahead of his debut in Spain's top basketball division.
Lucas Langarita has already begun preparing for what will be his first full NCAA season with the Utah Utes after leaving Casademont Zaragoza in December 2025. The guard is one of the talents to emerge from the Rojillos' academy, and this season should mark his settling in the United States after barely being able to take the court during the second half of last season.
Casademont Zaragoza have turned to the youth market to find a replacement for Soumaila Keita after the center joined Dubai Basketball, signing Iyayi Igbinedion from Movistar Estudiantes. The 18-year-old Spanish big man has signed for one season and joins the club’s project for the second season of the Liga U22.
Nico Brussino is now in Zaragoza. The Casademont Zaragoza player arrived in the Aragonese capital on Wednesday and passed his medical examination before joining the team’s training sessions later this week. The forward arrives after playing two World Cup qualifying games with Argentina and will help Gonzalo García de Vitoria continue completing his revamped roster.
The stressful summer for SD Huesca sporting director Javier Sanz de Arce is over after completing up to 21 deals, including Sergi Armero’s, and he reviewed the club’s transfer window on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s training session brought key news for Real Zaragoza: coach Ibai Gómez has the entire squad available. Right-back Marco Sangalli trained normally and will be ready for Saturday’s opener at Ibercaja Estadio, completing the squad until January.
Casademont Zaragoza will have to cope with another absence during preseason. Helena Oma has been called up by Spain’s 3x3 team and will leave the squad to join the national team’s training camp in Valencia from September 6 to 9. The camp is in preparation for the Antwerp European Cup, which will be held from September 11 to 13.
Real Zaragoza are set to welcome back center-back Diego González for their season debut at Ibercaja Estadio. He is expected to return this Saturday against Antequera after rejoining his teammates in training, wearing protective headgear.
Top-level national basketball will return to free-to-air television in Aragón after 11 years, with Aragón TV broadcasting the Liga Endesa for the next two seasons and Casademont Zaragoza as the main focus.