What does Zaragoza confirm?

Real Zaragoza has received confirmation that it will play a friendly against CD Numancia on August 22 at Los Pajaritos, just 24 hours after its match with Bilbao Athletic. Although the club has not yet signed the agreement, officials say the fixture is almost certain, marking the second back‑to‑back pre‑season game.

How does this match fit into the pre‑season schedule?

Zaragoza’s calendar includes eight fixtures before the start of Primera RFEF. After the Bilbao Athletic clash on August 21, Ibai Gómez’s side will face Logroñés and Villarreal B on the 14th and 15th, respectively, and will close the training phase with the classic against Deportivo Aragón. The friendly with Numancia will be the final test before the first official round, giving the coach a chance to try different line‑ups.

What does this mean for the squad and coaching staff?

With two consecutive games, the manager can rotate players and experiment with formations. In the Bilbao Athletic match, for instance, Gómez is expected to use a different lineup than the one he will field against Numancia. This flexibility is vital to tighten a defence that has conceded 59 goals this season and to find more attacking options to boost the 35 goals scored.

What context does Zaragoza bring to this friendly?

In the Segunda División table, Zaragoza sits 22nd with 36 points, after a recent run of LDLLL and a 0‑2 loss to Málaga on May 31. The need to shore up the back line and add firepower is clear, and the Numancia friendly is a key piece to fine‑tune the side before the demanding campaign.

What comes after the Numancia clash?

Once the friendly is over, Zaragoza will kick off the official season hoping to climb out of the 22nd spot. The next challenge will be the first league match, where the team will aim to narrow the 46‑point gap to leaders Racing Santander. Every point will be essential to move away from the relegation zone and restore fan confidence.