Zaragoza vs Racing Santander preview - Paredes makes fan plea

Posted Saturday, May 05, 2012 by PA

Real Zaragoza captain Javier Paredes has asked the club's fans to make the stadium shake as they face a must-win match against already-relegated Racing Santander in the battle for survival.

Zaragoza go into the final two matches three points adrift of 17th-placed Rayo Vallecano, who have the advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two sides.

Zaragoza gave themselves renewed hope with victory in their last two games, but the odds may still be against them with time running out.

"We cannot relax because we have not done anything yet," Paredes warned on the club's website. "We still need to win the next two games."

To help get started, Paredes is hoping for a big turn out.

"The Romareda has to shake," he said. "A communion between the team and the fans will be vital in these last two games."

Zaragoza will be without Carlos Aranda, Franco Zuculini and Chiron for the match due to injuries.

Racing's hopes of survival are already over as they sit a whopping 10 points adrift of Zaragoza, with only pride left to play for.

"The goal in the two games left, against Zaragoza and Osasuna, is to give a good image of ourselves," said Papa Diop, who scored Zaragoza's goal in the 1-1 draw with Getafe last time out.

Diop also missed a penalty, and looked dangerous in a more advanced role.

"I know the position as I used to play there during my time in France," the former Rennes man said. "I felt comfortable. I tried to do my best, I scored a goal but there were other chances I could not convert."

Racing will be without the injured Pedro Munitis, Kennedy Bakircioglu and Domingo Cisma while Manuel Arana and Christian Stuani are doubtful.