ZARAGOZA, 11 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The zaragocismo has fired this Thursday the former president of Real Zaragoza José Ángel Zalba, and there have been multiple testimonies of affection and expressions of affection from all those who have wanted to say goodbye to him, such as the Minister of Education, Culture and Sport of the Government of Aragon, Felipe Faci, who assured that he was “the best” president that the club has ever had.
“It’s a sad day for Aragonese sport and for football. He has been a great president, I think the best Real Zaragoza has ever had”, assured Faci, while adding that his work as manager was “efficient and tenacious” and achieved “a soccer of successes and results”.
Zalba, who died this Wednesday, August 10, held the presidency of the club for two terms, between 1971 and 1978 and from 1988 to 1992.
During these two stages, the Zaragoza players were able to enjoy the best football, which coincided with the moment of the ‘zaraguayos’. There have been times in which “the team has dazzled” both its fans who came to support it on the field and the entire national and international territory, Faci pointed out. “When the big teams from Spain visited La Romareda, they were afraid of getting thrashed.”
From the Government of Aragon they have expressed their recognition of the former president of Real Zaragoza, his family and Zaragoza. Likewise, the president of Aragón, Javier Lambán, described José Ángel Zalba this Wednesday on his Twitter profile as “a great man, a pro biotane and an immense president of Real Zaragoza, the promoter of one of the best stages in the history of the club”.
A FAREWELL AT HOME
The anteroom of the Romareda stadium has hosted the funeral chapel of José Ángel Zalba. The place has been filled with family and friends who have come to say goodbye to the leader who has been at the head of the entity for the longest time.
The former general secretary of Real Zaragoza, Paco Checa, has told excitedly that it is “an irreparable loss” and that his figure has been very important in the first season, a very brilliant moment for the club in which the team achieved “great triumphs and gave many glorious afternoons”.
He has also highlighted the work of Zalba in the second part of his term, a much more complicated moment in which he managed to form, despite the economic difficulties, a team that in the future also gave great satisfaction to all the fans. “An affable, friendly and well-liked man who will be remembered in the Aragonese capital as a president who did a great job”, he concluded by saying.
A MAN AHEAD OF HIS TIME
The president of the Aragonese Football Federation, Óscar Fle, has also traveled to the place, who has referred to Zalba as “a man ahead of his time who did a great job at the head of the club”, being the youngest president Spanish football has had. “He will be remembered without a doubt and he has to remain in gold letters in the team’s history,” he stressed.
Former players like Juan Señor have also wanted to say goodbye to their teacher. “A great and important part of Zaragoza’s history is going away.” Señor has commented that Zalba managed to empathize very well with all the professionals, with the social mass and with the feelings that Zaragoza has.
A LOSS FOR SPANISH SPORTS
The municipal councilor for Social Action of the Zaragoza City Council, Ángel Lorén, has also been present at this farewell, and has attended accompanied by the councilor Paloma Espinosa.
“It is a tremendous loss not only for Zaragoza but for the entire city and for Spanish sport. In addition to living in our hearts for being a great man, he made great achievements,” he said.
The mayor of Zaragoza, Jorge Azcón, has also written a message on Twitter after learning of the loss of Zalba, in which he has expressed his condolences to the family and has underlined that his presidency at the head of the club “marked time and style”.