Osasuna and Real Madrid are going to celebrate another important game in their history: last year the team from Madrid won the League in the last match of that season, but this Sunday Osasuna is on the edge of hell.
Since 2000, Osasuna supporters are used to suffering up to the last day in season, even when the rival is as difficult as a less motivated Real Madrid, but an European champion anyway.
Both teams are completely different, starting from their budgets ( Osasuna's is one of the lowest in Spain ) to the relationships among players, as Real Madrid is full of "galacticos" and when problems arose everyone looks for their individual profit, and in Osasuna, when problems are a costume, and they, all together, struggle for the common solution.
Only in Javier Aguirre's time Osasuna could enjoy the end of the season easily. In 2000/01, being the coach Miguel Angel Lotina, Osasuna stayed in first division after winning Real Sociedad from San Sebastián in a very "strange" game in Anoeta. That day Osasuna depended on the results in other matches, and then Oviedo F.C. was relegated in the last game, with Racing Santander and Numancia.
A year later, again Lotina's team had to fight for their place in First Division in the final games. This time was in Bilbao against Athletic. It was a draw (1-1) and the relegated teams were Las Palmas, Tenerife and Zaragoza.
The first year in Osasuna for Aguirre was also a difficult time for the team. The players won in Valladolid with only two matches to finish the League. Recreativo Huelva, Alavés and Rayo Vallecano went to Second Division.
The season 2003/04 was easy for Osasuna, but a bit disappointing for the supporters, as UEFA was in their hands, but the team lost their last six matches.
It was the following season, 2004/05, the most important one in the history of Osasuna, when the team played the Copa del Rey final in Madrid against Real Betis, and they lost (2-1). Osasuna ended the season on the fourth place, ended the season with 68 points, played the previa for the Champions League the next season, 2005/06 with Jose Angel Ziganda as the coach.
That season Osasuna mantained the category two matches before the end. Celta, Real Sociedad y Nástic went to Second Division.
Last season, 2007/08 Osasuna kept in First Division in Santander, even though they lost, their 43 points made Zaragoza, Murcia and Levante be relegated to Second Division.
What will it happen tomorrow? Will history be different from the last nine years?
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