Real Zaragoza - Huesca 16-11-2025

The derby no one can afford to lose

In Aragón, a desperate local clash is on the cards. Real Zaragoza and SD Huesca meet in a derby at La Romareda, both having started the season with poor results. The home team is stuck at the bottom of the table with just 6 points in 13 games (1–3–9), and the mood of crisis is spreading. The visitors from Huesca have also fallen like a stone after a serviceable start – only one win in the last eight games has sent the team down to 19th place. Sunday's derby will therefore be something far more than prestige. For Zaragoza, it is about igniting hope in the darkness, for Huesca, about finding a spark under new management. Neither of them can afford another defeat.

Real Zaragoza: The big club in free fall

Traditional Zaragoza are experiencing a season that borders on disaster. With six straight losses before this weekend, the club has sunk to last place. Offensively, it has been a complete standstill – just 7 goals in 13 games says it all. In fact, Zaragoza have gone goalless in over half of their matches. The embarrassing 0–5 home defeat against newly promoted Cultural Leonesa in October marks the lowest point, and since then the fans' patience has been worn thin. Defensively, the team is also leaking like a sieve with 23 goals in total, which means that every game quickly slips out of their hands.

The coaching changes have also not had the desired effect. Rubén Sellés – the team's third coach of the season – took over in the autumn to reverse the trend, but the results have not been there. Under Sellés' leadership, Zaragoza continues to struggle with identity and self-confidence. It seems as if everything that can go wrong, does go wrong: chances are wasted, set pieces fail, and margins disappear week after week. At home, pressure from the stands has traditionally been a weapon, but now it can quickly become a burden – La Romareda will demand effort and response. The team must show that they can withstand the pressure in a derby. There are some bright spots in the squad after all: striker Dani Gómez has scored 2 of the team's few goals, and experienced Kenan Kodro and Mario Soberón can do better than they have shown. If Zaragoza is to rise, they and the rest of the team must crack the code offensively and at the same time avoid the fatal mistakes at the back. A local derby can light the spark – now it's all about will and mental strength to stop the decline.

SD Huesca: New coach – new hope?

Huesca arrived at the start of the season with ambitions to compete in the top flight, but like their arch-rivals, they have slipped into a slump in form. After 13 rounds they are 4–3–6 and 15 points – a disappointing result for a team that was in the top 8 earlier this autumn. They now find themselves just above the relegation zone. The weak trend became too much for the club management: this week coach Sergi Guilló was replaced, and Jon Pérez Bolo has arrived to lift the team. Bolo takes over a Huesca that is struggling with a results crisis, but also a team that has shown flashes of quality.

The problem has primarily been goal scoring and stability. Huesca have scored a modest 12 goals so far and have gone off the field without a goal in many matches. Defensively, they have not been completely hopeless – 18 goals conceded is far better than the hosts, but still too high. The team struggled mightily throughout October: after a promising start, loss after loss followed. The away form in particular is causing concern – Huesca have lost five out of six matches on foreign turf. Offensively, a lot of responsibility rests on the strikers, as well as the creative midfield. But under Guilló, the attack was often toothless and predictable. Now it is hoped that the change of coach will have an immediate effect. Bolo is known for organising teams defensively and creating enthusiasm in the group. He has already stated that the goal is to win at home as much as possible and restore their identity – but first a baptism of fire awaits them away in Zaragoza. Historically, Huesca is the little brother in this derby, but they come to La Romareda with the knowledge that their rival is weakened. If Huesca manages to keep a cool head and exploit their opponent's uncertainty, they can get the dream start Bolo wants.

Conclusion: Nervous, physical and lacking in purpose?

The frame is set for an intense bottom-of-the-table clash where the fear of losing can be as crucial as the pursuit of victory. Zaragoza is pushed to the limit – the club needs points, and the home fans expect a reaction. At the same time, everyone knows that one goal behind could break the hosts' fragile self-confidence. Huesca, for its part, gets a mental boost with a new coach and a clean sheet. Often you see a team rise immediately in such scenarios. Yet this is a derby where form and statistics are thrown out the window; it will be about duels, discipline and the small details.

Both teams are struggling offensively, and no one will dare to expose themselves early. We could easily have a game characterized by a slow pace, many free kicks and great chances. A draw may not prove to be a disaster for anyone – but Zaragoza will feel they have to go for the win. Ironically, it could punish them if they become too open, because Huesca has shown that they can defend themselves with discipline and punish on counterattacks. Everything points to an even and goalless battle, where a single moment of quality or a mistake can decide. As things stand, Huesca seems a bit more solid than Zaragoza. After all, the guests have won several games this season and come in with new energy. Zaragoza play with a knife to the throat, but lack both form and flow.

We therefore play ;
Segunda División at 21:00: Real Zaragoza – SD Huesca: Double chance: Huesca/ draw (1.62)