After Real Zaragoza confirmed the departure of Miguel Angel Ramirez, the former captain Gabi of Atletico Madrid turned the sinking ship in Aragon. The 41-year-old has taken it over in La Romareda with one clear assignment-keom real Zaragoza from relegation to the third layer.
Since the relegation to Segunda in 2013, Zaragoza has difficulty getting up again, and after having hunted a large part of the following decade promotion, over the past four seasons have been limited to midtable finishes. They run a serious danger of what would be a financially breaking relegation to the third layer, sitting in 18th place, a point above the Elfdense in the relegation zone.
While none of Racing Ferrol, Tenerife or Cartagena probably seems to catch them from below, Zaragoza is facing 11 games between now and the end of the season to avoid elense. Gabi takes over his first senior management task after he was in charge of Getafe B since last year. He started coaching in the youth teams with Atletico, before moving to Getafe, where he celebrated their affiliated side in Segunda (fourth level) challenging for a play-off place. In the course of his spell there, Getafe B 26 victories, 16 draws and 10 losses took up, scored 73 goals and admitted 45 times.
Gabi is in situ and has history in the club until the end of the season, after having spent four years between 2007 and 2011 and has become a favorite with fans and captain there. He would then return to Atletico, his boys' club, where he would request them for the La Liga title. His first match will be against Cordoba (10th) next Monday, while Zaragoza is now also looking for a sporting director after the dismissal of Juan Carlos Cordero, a sign of the size of the task with which Gabi is confronted. In total he appeared 144 performances for Zaragoza as a player, and will at least have the unanimous support of the club, and a lot of charisma to call from his match days.
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