Zaragoza saved, but fans demand a full reset | OneFootball

Real Zaragoza emerged from one of the most turbulent campaigns in their history with their Segunda División status just about intact, but the scars of the season are clear. Survival may have been achieved, yet the sense around La Romareda is not one of relief so much as a pressing need for reckoning and renewal.

Gabi Fernández’s arrival as head coach proved pivotal, providing a stabilising influence during the bleakest weeks after a series of false starts left the club teetering above the drop zone. Fernández, whose bond with the club is unquestionable, offered both honesty and resolve when he took charge: “No tengo ninguna duda de que lo vamos a sacar” (“I have no doubt we’ll pull it off”), he insisted. That belief, repeatedly shared with fans in moments of anxiety, eventually translated into a dogged run-in, punctuated by late equalisers and nerve-jangling own goals that seemed to typify Zaragoza’s season.

Yet, as the campaign concluded, the sense of escape brought little satisfaction. Zaragoza stumbled through decisive matches and were as dependent on results elsewhere as their own narrow wins. Their difficulties were not just tactical or technical – they appeared, at times, a club bereft of leadership, with the stands frequently offering more inspiration than those on or off the pitch.

Supporters were central in ensuring Zaragoza’s safety. In a year of transition, with the old Romareda set to be replaced by a new modular stadium, the fans’ unwavering commitment provided the lifeblood for a club often lacking clarity at board level. The scenes at the final whistle – thousands spilling onto the pitch, reclaiming their identity – underlined just how much the institution owed to its people.

Looking ahead, change is inevitable. The club’s management is already moving towards a substantial overhaul, with Juanfran Torres and Jorge López expected to lead a new sporting structure. Their appointments, orchestrated with input from Atlético Madrid’s Carlos Bucero, aim to bring cohesion, ending years of reactive decision-making and the revolving door of coaches and players that has typified recent seasons. The board, led by Jorge Mas, faces increasing pressure to ally financial backing with a clear, ambitious blueprint.

Gabi Fernández, for his part, has set the terms for his continued stewardship. “If we want the club to keep competing and aim higher, everything must be rebuilt from scratch,” he insists, urging that the same sense of renewal which is transforming the club’s infrastructure must be mirrored on the sporting side.

As the city reflects on a campaign in which the supporters were the real protagonists, Zaragoza’s challenge is clear: forge a team and an identity robust enough to finally reward those whose loyalty has never wavered—wherever, and in whatever ground, Real Zaragoza play next.

Source: Sport Aragón, El Periódico de Aragón, Marca