Real Zaragoza reserve-team starlet makes history…

Real Zaragoza’s 3-1 defeat to Valencia on Sunday was relatively uneventful, largely because Jermaine Pennant was injured and therefore unable to stink up the pitch with his special brand of ‘football’. However, history was made on the 85th minute, when Zaragoza coach Marcelino brought on 20-year-old Alex Sanchez - La Liga’s (and, as far as we know, all of European football’s) first one-handed footballer.

Born without a right mitt, Alex was was handed a first team debut after bagging 12 goals in 10 games for Zaragoza’s reserve squad. There was no fairytale ending to his first senior appearance though - in the 15 minutes he was on the pitch, he flubbed a rubbish attempt to win a penalty and was booked for diving.

Our brainy chums at chickendinner are backing Los Blancos

Once the sangria induced hangovers have cleared and the memory of Luis Aragones’ bumps torment is hazy, Spain’s footballing fraternity will have to stop basking in their Euro 2008 glory and look forward to kicking lumps out of each other in the new La Liga season. Because they care so much, here’s chickendinner’s guide to just about everything that’s going to happen in the sun-drenched nation…

» Real Madrid have secured successive La Liga titles but not since 1990-1994 (Barcelona) have any Primera Liga side managed to retain the championship three years in a row. However, the last time Real Madrid won consecutive league titles, they went on to win five in succession - 1985-1990.

» Celta Vigo finished sixth in 2005/06 and were relegated the very next season. Real Zaragoza ended the 2006/07 season in sixth position and also found themselves relegated a year later. That spells bad news for Racing Santander who were this year’s sixth placed side.

» In four of the past five seasons, the side that finished fourth in La Liga went on to struggle in the next campaign, finishing tenth or lower and on one occasion being relegated. Atletico Madrid may be in for a long season.

» Only two of the last ten runners up in La Liga have gone on to secure the title the following season - Villarreal were last year’s unlucky losers.

» In the last ten seasons, only one side has ever finished third and secured the league title in their next campaign. On six occasions

The best sports programming this weekend

It’s that unmistakable time of year when Christmas decorations come down and minnow clubs up and down the land build up a huge sense of false expectation. This morning’s Sun backs Southern League Division One side Chasetown with a back page and double-page spread, but will support from the country’s most-loved red top be enough to overcome Cardiff? See how they fare in Saturday’s Match of the Day, and catch