Bryan Zaragoza finds his feet again to tie Barcelona’s second string in knots | Sid Lowe
Forward tormented Catalans again to get his career back on track a year after career-altering display against same team
“These things are in me,” Bryan Zaragoza said. “You don’t learn this, you have it. And I have it.” La Liga’s second smallest player, 5ft 5in of fun, was wearing its biggest smile, more than a hint of mischief in there. He had only gone and done it again. The cheeky kid with a twinkle in his eye and a twinkle in his toes too, who grew up idolising Lionel Messi, watching videos of Ronaldinho, following Neymar and playing football on the streets of 4 de Diciembre, Málaga, had left Barcelona on the floor once more. This was naughty.
In early October 2023 Bryan had taken unbeaten Barcelona apart, scoring twice for Granada en route to a 2-2 draw, his life turned upside down. A year on, he took unbeaten Barcelona apart again, scoring one and providing another for Osasuna en route to a 4-2 win, life turned back upright. Two meetings, one assist, three goals, can I play you every week? Only goal doesn’t do justice to the night Los Carmenes had then and El Sadar had now. “Magical,” Bryan called it, Osasuna’s first win over Barcelona in 12 years and among their most memorable ever, emulating a feat from four decades earlier when Diego Maradona scored twice. It definitely doesn’t do justice to what he had done.
