First Division - Day 38

Zaragoza 1 - Real Madrid 3

Zaragoza: Luis García; Ponzio, Alvaro, Milito, Toledo; Movilla (Cuartero 72'); Galletti, Cani (Camacho 71'), Oscar González (Piti 72'), Savio; David Villa. 4-1-4-1.
Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Samuel, Roberto Carlos; Celades, Gravesen, Zidane (Solari 60'); Raúl (Guti 65'); Owen (Figo 46'), Ronaldo. 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Zaragoza: Toledo, Galletti, Oscar González for Aranzábal, Zapater, Generelo / Madrid: Iván Helguera, Celades for Pavón, Beckham.

Goals:
0-1. 23. Owen. Following up after Luis García failed to hold on to Zidane shot.
1-1. 43. Oscar González. Picked up short pass from Villa and shot past Casillas.
1-2. 53. Roberto Carlos. Collected Raúl pass and hit angled shot past keeper.
1-3. 93. Ronaldo. Rolled ball into net after keeper spilled pass at his feet.

With nothing at stake, the match between Zaragoza and Real Madrid was brought forward to Saturday evening, Vanderlei Luxemburgo's side running out 1-3 winners in the end.

The hosts had the better of the opening minutes, Savio and David Villa both failing to convert chances. But midway through the first half Luis García failed to hold on to a long shot from Zidane, and Michael Owen nipped in to tuck the ball home.

The home side continued to dominate after that, Cani almost catching out Casillas with a long shot. And two minutes before the break Oscar González picked up a pass from Villa to run through and shoot wide of the keeper.

At half time Luxemburgo gave Figo what could be his last run out in a Real Madrid shirt, an unpopular move with the crowd who still remembered his tackle on César Jiménez half a season ago. Ponzio and Villa came close to putting the locals ahead, but once again Madrid struck against the run of play, Roberto Carlos picking up Raúl's pass to shoot across Luis García.

After that Zaragoza's challenge ended, and Ronaldo could have got a third had Luis García not blocked his shot. But with the game coming to an end Ronaldo did get his name on the scoresheet, Luis García failing to hold on to a long ball out of midfield leaving the Brazilian striker the easiest of tasks of scoring into an empty net.

Madrid had won their 25th game of the season to end on 80 points, a tally which in the last few years would have secured them the league title. But Barcelona finished four ahead of them, and "Los Galacticos" will have to wait another year.