2 April 2011 - All Good Things Come To An End, Even For Mourinho

On 2 April 2011, Sporting de Gijon ended José Mourinho's remarkable home league unbeaten streak after nine years and 150 matches.

The last time a Mourinho-managed team lost a league match at home was on 23 February 2002 when Beira Mar beat Mourinho's Porto side 2-3 at the Estádio das Antas. Since then, he had gone undefeated at home in the league with both Chelsea (2004-08) and Inter (2008-10).

After joining Real Madrid in May 2010, his streak continued through most of his first season. Few people suspected it would end at the hands of Sporting de Gijon, who were sitting in the table's fifteenth spot and had won only one away game all season before arriving at the Bernabéu to face second-place Real Madrid.

But the hosts were missing two key strikers in Cristiano Ronaldo, then the league's joint-top scorer, and Karim Benzema, as well as defender Marcelo, all of whom were injured. After a scoreless 78 minutes, the visitors broke the deadlock with a 79th-minute goal from midfielder Miguel de las Cuevas (pictured) and the hosts were unable to find an equalizer. Afterward, Mourinho went into the visitors' dressing room to congratulate the team on their win.

Having gone for so long without losing a league game at home, Mourinho's next home loss came quickly, as Real Madrid lost to Real Zaragoza four weeks later.

3 March 2011 - Pellegrini's Unwelcome Return

On 3 March 2011, Real Madrid welcomed their former manager back to the Bernabeu by crushing his new team 7-0.

The manager in question was Manuel Pellegrini, who had taken charge of Real Madrid in June 2009 for their second Galacticos period that saw them acquire Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, and Karim Benzema for an approximate total of £200M in transfer fees. But after only one season--in which they finished as league runners-up to Barcelona--the club sacked Pellegrini in order to hire José Mourinho.

In November 2010, Pellegrini signed a three-year deal to manage Málaga. They had already lost to Real Madrid in the league the previous month, so the game in March was his first time facing his former employers.

It was a rout. Two of Pellegrini's signings scored a total of five goals (three from Ronaldo and two from Benzema), while Ángel di María and and Marcelo added goals of their own to stretch the margin to 7-0. When the final whistle blew, Málaga were down to nine men, with one ejected and one injured after Pellegrini had made all three substitutions.

Although the loss sent them down to 19th place, things did get better for the club. They finished the season in eleventh, and are currently sitting in sixth this season.

28 December 1982 - The Supercopa Gets Real

On 28 December 1982, Real Sociedad won the inaugural Supercopa de España, overcoming a first-leg deficit to beat Real Madrid 1-4 on aggregate.

The Supercopa, which features the previous season's league and Copa del Rey winners, was yet another battleground for the burgeoning rivalry between the two clubs. In 1980, Sociedad finished as league runners-up to Madrid by a single point, then won the title the following year by beating Madrid on goal differential. Meanwhile, Madrid won that season's Copa del Rey after eliminating Sociedad on penalties in the semifinals.

The two met at the Bernabéu on 13 November 1982 for the very first Supercopa match, where a 44th-minute goal from Madrid's Dutch defender John Metgod allowed the hosts to escape with a narrow 1-0 edge. In the return leg, played before a crowd of 30,000 at the Estadio Atocha in San Sebastián, Madrid held onto their lead through the first half. But shortly after the restart, Sociedad forward Pedro Uralde (pictured) scored to level the aggregate at 1-1 (53').

The teams remained deadlocked through regulation, sending the match into extra time. There, in just the 92nd minute, Sociedad forward Roberto López Ufarte put his team ahead 1-2 on aggregate. As Madrid pressed forward to find a goal, they exposed their defense and Uralde netted his second of the day (102') to stretch the aggregate lead to 1-3.

Madrid found the net one minute later, but, unfortunately for them, it was their own, as late substitute back José Salguero put the ball past his own keeper. The contest ended 0-4 (1-4 agg.) to deliver the trophy to Sociedad.

13 December 2008 - When The Paradigm Shifted In Spain

On 13 December 2008, Barcelona won their first Clásico in almost three years, beating Real Madrid 2-0.

It is difficult to picture at the moment, with Barça having just won their eighth match against their Madrid rivals in twelve tries across all competitions (the lone loss came in the 2011 Copa del Rey Final), but there was a time not too distant in which Real Madrid were the dominant team. Since suffering a 3-0 loss to Barcelona on 19 November 2005, the Merengues rattled off a five-match unbeaten streak that included three wins and two draws, all in the league.

The last match of that run was the worst for Barcelona as, on 5 May 2008, Real Madrid won 4-1 at the Bernabéu with goals from Raúl (12'), Arjen Robben (20'), Gonzalo Higuaín (62'), and Ruud van Nistelrooy (77') (Barcelona's lone goal was an 86th-minute consolation strike from Thierry Henry). It was the final nail in the coffin for Barça manager Frank Rijkaard, as the club announced shortly afterward that he would be replaced at the end of the season by youth team coach Pep Guardiola. Real Madrid, meanwhile, went on to claim their second consecutive La Liga title

Guardiola duly took over the following month and immediately began to reshape the team by offloading a number of players, including two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho. After an opening day loss to Numancia, Guardiola's Barcelona went unbeaten in their next thirteen league matches, with eleven wins and two draws. They were at the top of the table on 13 December when they hosted Real Madrid for Guardiola's first Clásico as manager. It was close until the last few minutes, when goals from Samuel Eto'o (83') and Lionel Messi (90') delivered a 2-0 victory.

Since then, Barcelona have extended their unbeaten streak against Madrid to seven league matches, with six wins and one draw. They've also gone undefeated against their rivals in the Champions League and the Supercopa de España, with a win and a draw in each of those competitions.



Photo credit to Albert Olive/EPA.

1 December 1998 - Real's Raúl Sinks Vasco Da Gama

On 1 December 1998, Real Madrid won their second Intercontinental Cup, beating Vasco da Gama 2-1 in Tokyo with a late strike from Raúl González.

Champions League winners Madrid were making their third appearance in the competition, after winning it in 1960 and losing it in 1966 (both times against Peñarol). It was the first appearance for Vasco, who had won the Copa Libertadores the previous August.

A crowd of 54,514 gathered at Tokyo's National Stadium to watch the match, with Madrid taking a first-half lead thanks to an own goal--in attempt to head away a cross from Roberto Carlos, Vasco midfielder Nasa deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper in the 25th minute. Undaunted, the Brazilians pressed forward for an equalizer and were rewarded in the 56th minute. Madrid's German goalkeeper, Bodo Illgner, parried one shot, but knocked the ball into the path of Nasa's midfield partner Juninho, who placed it perfectly into the top right corner.

Both teams had several chances to take the lead, but were denied repeatedly by brilliant play from both keepers (and, in Vasco's case, a couple of near misses). Real Madrid forward Raul then struck the decisive blow in the 83rd minute when he outraced the Vasco back line to latch onto a long ball, beat two defenders, and slipped the ball past keeper Carlos Germano.

It was Vasco's only appearance in the competition, while Real Madrid returned twice more, winning it again in 2000.

21 October 1933 - The Man With The Record Cup Collection

On 21 October 1933, Real Madrid striker Francisco Gento was born in the Guarnizo district of Cantabria in northern Spain. By the time he retired, he was the club's all-time appearances leader and he remains the only man to win six European Cups.

An outside left forward, he started his professional career in 1952 with Racing Santander, but moved to Real Madrid for the 1953-54 season. He started slowly there, with no goals in 21 appearances that season, but earned his first silverware as Real Madrid won the league for the first time in eleven years.

The honors flowed regularly after that, with another league title in 1955 and the first of five consecutive European Cups in 1956. In 1957, he scored in Real's 2-0 win over Fiorentina (video below), then provided the 107th-minute match-winner against Milan in 1958. After the five-time streak, Real returned to the final on the losing side in 1962 and 1964, then won it for a sixth time in 1966. Gento, who captained the side in 1966, was the only person to play for Real Madrid in all six wins, making him the only person in history with six European Cup titles to his name.

Upon his retirement in 1971, he had made a total of 599 appearances for Real, making him the club's appearances leader at the time, though his tally has since been surpassed by four others. he moved into management briefly--for Castilla, Castellón, Palencia, and Granada--before becoming a European ambassador for Real Madrid.

29 September 1988 - Real Madrid Complete Their Trophy Bingo Card

On 29 September 1988, Real Madrid won their first Supercopa de España, despite losing to Barcelona 2-1.

It was the last major domestic trophy that Real had yet to win (though they did win the tournament's predecessor, the Copa Eva Duarte, in 1947). When the Supercopa started in 1982, Real Madrid, as Copa del Rey winners, played La Liga champions Real Sociedad, but lost 1-4 on aggregate. When Real Madrid next qualified by winning the league in 1986 and 1987, the competition was not held in either year.

In 1988, they won the league for a third straight time, setting up a Supercopa meeting against Copa del Rey champions Barcelona. They got off to a great start, winning the first leg 2-0 at the Bernabéu with late goals from Míchel (71') and Hugo Sánchez (78'). That carried over into the second leg on 29 September, played at Camp Nou, when striker Emilio Butragueño put them up 0-1 in the 14th minute.

That proved to be the decisive goal, as Barcelona midfielder José Mari Bakero netted a brace (37', 77') to bring the aggregate score to 3-2. That's how it ended, with Madrid taking the honors.

Since then, they've gone on to win it a total of eight times, including 1989, when they won it automatically as winners of both the Copa del Rey and the league.

26 August 1963 - Di Stéfano Makes A Different Kind Of Headline

On 26 August 1963, Real Madrid striker Alfredo di Stéfano, who had been kidnapped two days earlier, was released unharmed.



The abduction occurred in Caracas, Venezuela, while Real Madrid were on a preseason tour of South America. Paul del Rio, a 19-year old member of the Venezuelan revolutionary group Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional, took di Stéfano at gunpoint from his hotel. By doing so, he hoped to draw attention to the FALN's attempts to stage a Fidel Castro-type revolution in Venezuela.



They released di Stéfano (pictured, the day of his release) unharmed outside the Spanish embassy and he returned to Madrid shortly afterward.



In August 2005, di Stéfano was reunited with del Rio for the premiere of a film titled Real, the Movie that recounted the events of 1963. By that time, del Rio had long since given up his revolutionary activities and was a well-known sculptor and painter.

19 August 2007 - Sevilla Delivers A Severe Beating

On 19 August 2007, Sevilla won their first Supercopa de España, destroying Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to win 6-3 on aggregate.



Sevilla, the 2007 Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup winners, hosted the first leg on 11 August and scraped out a 1-0 victory thanks to a 27th-minute penalty kick from striker Luís Fabiano. The second leg was hosted by Real Madrid, the 2007 La Liga champions.



A crowd of 69,000 turned out at the Bernebéu and were stunned to see Sevilla increase their aggregate lead in the 16th minute when a scramble in front of the Madrid goal allowed forward Renato to knock the ball home. But just seven minutes later, Madrid midfielder Royston Drenthe beat Sevilla keeper Andrés Palop with a rocket from over 35 yards out.



In the 37th minute, a Madrid handball led to another Sevilla penalty, converted by striker Frédéric Kanouté, who had missed the first leg. Madrid surged back to take a 2-3 lead on the day with goals from Fabio Cannavaro (44') and Sergio Ramos (78'). The 3-3 aggregate score would have seen them take the cup on the away goals rule, but Sevilla pulled away with three late strikes from Kanouté (80', 89') and Renato (88') to claim the victory.



Real Madrid eventually sorted out their defensive woes, giving up the fewest goals in the league en route to the 2007-09 La Liga title, while Sevilla finished fifth that season.

6 July 2009 - Ronaldo's Real Big Welcome

On 6 July 2009, over 80,000 people gathered at the Bernabéu to meet Real Madrid's newest star, Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo. The event was the culmination of an effort that took over two years and £80 million to complete.

Rumors of Real Madrid's interest in Ronaldo surfaced in March 2007, but Manchester United were unwilling to part with him and signed him to a five-year extension worth £31 million. But while winning the Premier League with United in 2007, 2008, and 2009, as well as the 2008 Champions League, the winger began to reciprocate the interest from the Spaniards. And on 11 June 2009, the two clubs reached a deal. Real Madrid paid an £80 million transfer fee to United, while Ronaldo received a 6-year deal worth €11 million per year. The signing was part of a second Galácticos wave that included Kaká, Karim Benzema, and Xabi Alonso.

To welcome Ronaldo to Madrid, the club hosted a presentation at the Bernabéu. 80,000 people showed up to watch Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez hand Ronaldo the number 9 shirt that had once been worn by club legends Hugo Sanchez, Ronaldo, and Alfredo di Stéfano.

Ronaldo went on to score 33 goals in his first season and 53 the next season, though Real Madrid finished second in the league to Barcelona both times.

30 May 1957 - For Fiorentina, It's Close But No Cigar

On 30 May 1957, Real Madrid won their second consecutive European Cup, beating Fiorentina 2-0.

Real Madrid were the defending champions while the Viola earned the right to participate in the tournament by winning their first Serie A title the previous season. That season heralded a rise in Fiorentina's fortunes that saw them finish in Italy's top two for the next four years.

Their success carried over into the European Cup, where they advanced to the Final with wins over IFK Norrköping, Grasshopper, and Red Star Belgrade, but once there, they ran into the European Cup buzzsaw that was Real Madrid. Madrid had won the inaugural European Cup the season before, and--despite needing a playoff against Rapid Wien to get out of the first round--rolled into the Final with victories over Nice and Manchester United.

Playing before a partisan crowd of 124,000 at Madrid's home ground, the Bernabéu, Fiorentina managed to keep the match close. Unlike the previous final, which Madrid won 4-3 over Stade de Reims, the 1957 Final was a defensive battle, with both sides struggling to create scoring chances. Madrid eventually caught a break when the referee awarded a 69th-minute penalty kick that midfielder Alfredo di Stéfano converted with ease. Six minutes later, forward Francisco Gento scored on a breakaway, chipping the ball over Fiorentina keeper Giuliano Sarti.

It was Fiorentina's last appearance in the European Cup/Champions League Final, while Madrid went on to win the next three. In all, they played in ten more and accumulated their current tally of nine titles. Fiorentina eventually won European glory, however, claiming the 1961 Cup Winners' Cup.

18 May 1981 - You May Not Love Him, But His Mahmadou

On 18 May 1981, future Lyon, Real Madrid, and Monaco star Mahamadou Diarra was born in Bamako, Mali.

A defensive midfielder, Diarra started his professional career in 1998 with OFI Crete. After one season there, then three in the Netherlands with Vitesse, he moved to Lyon where he rose to international prominence. With Diarra anchoring the midfield, Lyon won the league in each of his four seasons (the second through fifth of their seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles).

Diarra's success at Lyon prompted a €26 million move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2006. In his first season there, he helped Madrid win their first league title in four years, then continued his run of silverware with another championship in his second season--a personal streak of six straight league titles. In the meantime, he has represented Mali since 2001 and currently captains the side.

A series of knee injuries and the 2009 arrival of Xavi Alonso pushed Diarra out of his starting role in Madrid and, in January 2011, he moved to his current club, AS Monaco.

15 May 2002 - Bayer Gets Another Real Headache

On 15 May 2004, Real Madrid won their record ninth European Cup/Champions League trophy, beating Bayer Leverkusen in the Final.

The Final--Bayer's first and Real Madrid's twelfth--was a rematch of the two team's quarterfinal meeting in 1998, which the Spaniards won 1-4 on aggregate en route to their seventh tournament title. Like that previous match, Real Madrid were heavily favored and took very little time to stake their claim to the trophy, going up in the 8th minute with a strike from their center forward, Raúl. Bayer did not lie down, however, and quickly responded with a 13th-minute header from Lúcio, their Brazilian center back.

Then, in the 45th minute, Madrid got a Brazilian edge of their own when Roberto Carlos surged forward from his left back position and sent a high arcing cross into the box. It dropped to Zinedine Zidane, who executed a stunning left-footed volley from the edge of the box. The ball rocketed over Bayer's keeper, putting Madrid up 1-2. It was the last goal of the match.

Neither team has returned to the Final since. Despite the loss, Bayer took some consolation by winning the Bundesliga that season.

11 May 1983 - The Giants Of Spain Fall In The Rain

On 11 May 1983, Aberdeen won the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Real Madrid 2-1.

It was Aberdeen's second time in the tournament; their first, in 1971, ended with elimination by Budepest Honved in the first round. Real Madrid also participated that season, advancing to the Final where they lost to Chelsea in a replay.

Playing on a rain-soaked day before a crowd of approximately 18,000 at the Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden, Aberdeen fielded an all-Scottish side, including manager Alex Ferguson, then in his fifth season in charge. Definite underdogs, they took a shock lead when forward Eric Black scored in the 7th minute. But the lead was short-lived, as Real Madrid drew level with a 15th-minute penalty kick from forward Juanito.

Despite the early exchange, the teams were unable to score for the remainder of regulation, forcing the match into overtime. There, the winning goal was headed in by supersub John Hewitt, who had come on in place of Black. (Hewitt had also scored the winning goal in Aberdeen's semifinal against Bayern Munich.)

The win made Aberdeen the third Scottish team--after Celtic and Rangers--to win European trophy. They quickly added to their silverware collection by winning the European Super Cup later that year.

1 May 2002 - The Clasico Is Not Always A Classic

On 1 May 2002, Real Madrid and Barcelona met in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal match-up. The game ended as a 1-1 draw, which was enough to see Madrid through to claim their ninth European Cup/Champions League trophy.

The fierce rivals had faced off twice before in the competition, with Madrid winning both legs of their semifinal meeting in the spring of 1960 and going on to win the Final. The next fall, it was Barcelona who advanced, winning 4-3 on aggregate in the first round en route to the Final, which they lost to Benfica.

By May of 2002, they had already played each other three times. Madrid won twice, including a 2-0 victory in the semifinal's first leg (the other match was a 1-1 draw in the league). Playing before a crowd of 75,000 at the Bernabéu, Barcelona pressed for the needed goals, but it was Madrid who took the lead with a left-footed shot from Raúl in the 43rd minute.

Barça were finally rewarded in the 48th minute when Madrid defender Iván Helguera deflected a cross into his own net. The visitors continued to press for chances, but wasted them as shots from Javier Saviola, Patrick Kluivert, Luis Enrique, and Geovanni all shot wide.

The match ended 1-1 and Madrid went on to the Final in Glasgow where they beat Bayer Leverkusen, 1-2.

2 April 1927 - The Mightiest Magyar

On 2 April 1927, Real Madrid superstar Ferenc Puskás was born in Budapest. After winning Olympic gold and finishing as World Cup runners-up with Hungary, he ended his international career with Spain.

He started his professional career in 1943 with local Budapest side Kispest AC and quickly established himself as a dynamic goalscorer. In 1949, the Hungarian government rebranded Kispest as Budapest Honvéd, using it as the Army team. Puskás rose to the rank of major while leading the side to five league titles.

In 1945, at the age of 18, he joined the Hungarian national team and scored 84 goals in 85 appearances, including four goals in their gold-medal winning campaign for the 1952 Summer Olympics and four more in their run to the 1954 World Cup Final. There, a loss to West Germany ended Hungary's streak of 32 consecutive unbeaten matches, a period of success that earned them the name "the Mighty Magyars."

While on a world tour with Honvéd in 1956, the Hungarian Revolution broke out back home. Puskás and several other player decided not to return to Hungary and ended up in Spain. Puskás joined Real Madrid, where he won five La Liga titles and three European Cups. In 1962, he acquired Spanish nationality and played four matches for Spain, including three at that year's World Cup.

After retiring in 1966, he took up management for several teams. His most successful period as manager came with Panathinaikos, whom he guided to the European Cup Final in 1971. He returned to Hungary in 1993 and briefly led the national team before retiring for good later that year.

He died in Budapest in 2006 at the age of 79.

10 March 1971 - The Bluebirds Soar Over Madrid

On 10 March 1971, Cardiff City delivered the shock of the season and one of the club's most famous victories, upsetting Real Madrid 1-0.

The two teams met in the quarterfinals of the European Cup Winners' Cup. Cardiff, who were then in Division Two, qualified by winning the previous season's Welsh Cup. They weren't strangers to the competition, having participated in it four previous times including an impressive run in 1967-68 that ended with a semifinal loss to Hamburg.

In 1970-71, the Bluebirds flew through the first two rounds, advancing past Pezoporikos Larnacas (8-0 agg.) and Nantes (7-2 agg.) to set up their date with six-time European Cup champions Real Madrid.

Playing before a crowd of approximately 50,000 at Cardiff's Ninian Park, the hosts attacked the visitors with a blend of tenacity and quickness. They were rewarded in the 31st minute, when a surge down the left side resulted in a cross that was headed home powerfully by striker Brian Clark (pictured). Not content to sit on the lead, Cardiff continued to attack and Real Madrid were fortunate to escape with a narrow 1-0 loss.

Madrid won the second leg 2-0 to advance, eventually finishing as runners-up to Chelsea, but the first-leg victory remains one of football's greatest upsets.

6 March 2002 - Real Madrid's Unwanted Birthday Present

On 6 March 2002, Real Madrid celebrated their 100th birthday with a loss to Deportivo de La Coruña in the Copa del Rey Final.

With Real Madrid's 100th anniversary falling on 6 March 2002, club president Florentino Pérez arranged to mark the date by hosting the Copa del Rey Final on that day. He further instructed manager Vicente Del Bosque to place a higher priority on the cup, which Madrid had not won since 1993. The previous season, they had been eliminated in the Round of 64 by third-division side Toledo.

But Deportivo, who had won La Liga in 2000 and finished second to Real Madrid in 2001, had no intention of letting the hosts claim the cup as birthday present. They swarmed around the ball in the first half with an energy and determination that quickly caught Madrid off-guard. In just the 6th minute, midfielder Sergio González (pictured) fired Deportivo ahead from close range after beating Madrid captain Fernando Hierro and right back Míchel Salgado to slip the ball through the legs of keeper César. Just over half an hour later, striker Diego Tristán doubled the lead with another close-range shot.

Madrid closed the gap to one with a goal from Raúl Gonzalez, but they would get no closer. The match ended 1-2 to Deportivo, giving them only the second Copa del Rey in club history.

Real Madrid got some consolation a little over two months later when they won their ninth European Cup/Champions League trophy, beating Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 in Glasgow.

5 February 1985 - Silver Polish Makes A Good Present

On 5 February 1985, the 2008 World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Portugal. He would go on to become the world's most expensive footballer.

A right winger, Ronaldo started his professional career in 2002 with Lisbon's Sporting CP. Only 16, he broke into the first team that year, making a total of 31 appearances and scoring 5 goals. In a friendly against Manchester United in the summer of 2003, he so impressed the opposing player that they urged manager Alex Ferguson to sign him. Ferguson complied, bringing Ronaldo to Manchester for £12.24 million.

Although frequently criticized by opposing fans and the media for simulation, Ronaldo blossomed at United, making 40 appearances in his first season as United lifted the FA Cup. More silverware followed, including three straight league titles (2007, 2008, 2009) and the UEFA Champions League trophy (2008). In the double-winning 2007-08 season, he scored a career-best 41 goals in all competitions and won both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year Award.

In the summer of 2009, he consummated a year-long courtship with Spanish giants Real Madrid, who paid a world-record £80 million to pull him away from United. He had an impressive first season in La Liga, scoring 33 goals in 35 total appearances as Real finished second in the league to Barcelona by a mere three points. He is on track to exceed that tally in his second season, having already scored 32 goals in 34 appearances, though Real are again trailing Barcelona in the table.

14 December 1979 - Ready To Score Owen Goals

On 14 December 1979, future Liverpool star and Ballon d'Or winner Michael Owen was born in the English city of Chester.

Owen signed a youth contract with Liverpool in 1991, then jumped to the first team in 1996. A prolific striker, he netted 18 league goals in his first full season, earning honors as joint top scorer and and being named the PFA Young Player of the Year. After winning additional golden boots in 1998 and 1999, he was instrumental in Liverpool's successful League Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Cup runs in 2000-01, leading to him being named the 2001 European Footballer of the Year.

The success drew the attention of Real Madrid, who signed him in August 2004 for a transfer fee of £8 million. But despite an impressive scoring record, he never settled in Spain and moved to Newcastle in August 2005 for a fee of £16 million.

His four seasons with Newcastle were hampered by injuries so that, in his second season there, he made only three appearances. In all, he scored 30 goals in 79 appearances for Newcastle, but the club was relegated in 2009, prompting Owen to make another move, this time to Manchester United, his current club.