Never before have Liverpool fans waited so anxiously for the end of the Spanish football season. With the daily rumours of interest in La Liga based players came the realisation that no transfer could go ahead before the 2006-07 season came to an end.

And with the joy for Real Madrid’s victory (increased probability of Fabio Capello staying means less chances of another attempt for Rafael Benitez) and the disappointment for Real Sociedad’s relegation (Xabi Alonso’s home side) attention now turns on to who Benitez will actually make a more for.

Spare a thought, however, for Antonio Nunez who had to endure the hearthbreak of relegation on the final day of the season.

The man who came to Merseyside as part of the deal that took Michael Owen to Real Madrid lasted only one season at Anfield. Although Benitez genuinely thought that Nunez had the potential to do well, a couple of unfortunate injuries did it for the Spanish winger although he did manage to score in the League Cup final and can still say that he formed part of a Champions League winning squad.

On his return to Spain with newly promoted Celta Vigo, Nunez started to show just what Benitez had seen in him as he was one of the stars in the club’s excellent season that saw them surprisinly finish sixth. This season, they did well enough in the UEFA Cup reaching the last sixteen before elimination at the hands of Werder Bremen but a collapse in the second half of the season saw them lose their top flight status despite a last day win over Getafe.