5 players who single-handedly defeated Real Madrid

4. Diego Milito

Milito - Copa del Rey - February 2006

Real Zaragoza came into the semi-final against Real Madrid on a high. They had eliminated Atlético Madrid, winning 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon. In the quarter-final, they did even better as 4-2 home win over Barcelona powered them to a 5-4 aggregate win. Madrid took the trip to La Romareda seriously as Ronaldo, Beckham, Guti, Robinho and Roberto Carlos started.

What happened next is part of Spanish football folklore. The home side plundered six goals against Los Blancos, leaving them stunned. They won the game 6-1 as Zinedine Zidane came on as second-half substitute. The damage was done by then as Real Zaragoza scored a sixth goal after his substitution.

Diego Milito, usually known for leading Mourinho's Inter to a treble in 2010, recorded a tremendous poker as he scored the first 4 goals in the rout. The first 2 goals were right-foot finishes involving sublime control, with Sergio Ramos appealing for offside after the second goal, scored after a throw-in. The next 2 goals were both headers from centres by Cani.

Ewerthon, his partner up front, added a brace later on. The lead proved to be insurmountable as Real Zaragoza progressed to the final in spite of losing the second leg 4-0 at the Bernabéu. After defeating Atlético, Barcelona and Real Madrid in succession, it is almost cruel that they lost in the final against Espanyol.

Milito has fond memories of the evening.

"That day was a collective victory. I was the protagonist, because four goals are not scored every day and less to Madrid, but the whole team played a superlative match: Cani, Celades, the defense.."

Regardless of the loss in the final, Diego Milito has been immortalised in Real Zaragoza history.