It may not feel like it, but there was a time before Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid came to dominate life in Spanish football.

With the Portugal international completing his £100m move to Juventus, fans of the Spanish giants are being forced to face up to a future without their talismanic figure.

They have to. Looking to the past, and the final match before the five-time Ballon D'Or winner arrived from Manchester United, will hardly conjure much comfort.

Real Madrid players celebrate with Gonzalo Higuain after giving his side the lead

A young Marcelo started on the wing for Real Madrid on the final day of the 2008-09 season

On 31 May, 2009, having seen rivals Barcelona sweep their way to the treble by securing the Liga title, the Copa del Rey and beating United in the Champions League final in Rome, Madrid were in a sorry state.

Their line up for the final match of the 2008-09 season suggests as much.

With the title already well out of reach, Madrid travelled to face relegation-threatened Osasuna, who were still in real trouble at the foot of the table.

Among familiar names such as Iker Casillas, Arjen Robben and Raul, were Miguel Torres and Marcelo, pushed on to the left wing by boss Juande Ramos.

Lassana Diarra controls the ball in a four-man midfield in the searing heat at El Sadar Stadium

Iker Casillas is beaten all ends up by a magnificent long-range strike from Juanfran

OSASUNA 2-1 REAL MADRID - 31 MAY 2009 Osasuna (4-4-1-1): Ricardo; Azpilicueta, Miguel Flano, Cruchaga, Monreal; Juanfran, Punal, Nekounam, Plasil; Masoud (Sola 80); Pandiani (Hildago 90) Scorers: Plasil 15, Juanfran 59 Booked: Cruchaga, Nekounam Real Madrid (4-4-2): Casillas; Salgado, Metzelder, Kagelmacher (Tebar 58), Torres; Robben (Huntelaar 77), Van der Vaart, Diarra, Marcelo; Raul, Higuain Scorer: Higuain 11 Booked: Diarra Sent off: Salgado, Huntelaar Advertisement

However, stealing the show at the centre of defence was Gary Kagelmacher, a complete unknown quantity.

He moved to Germinal Beerschot in Belgium in 2010 having spent almost the entirety of his Real Madrid career with Castilla.

He's currently back in Belgian football, playing for K.V. Kortrijk in the first division following spells in France, Germany and Israel.

Brought up from the B squad for this game, it was to be the Uruguayan's first — and last — for the senior team.

Despite the perfect start thanks to Gonzalo Higuain, who now finds himself team-mated with Ronaldo at Juventus, things quickly unravelled for Ramos's frustrated side.

The conceded an equaliser, with Czech Jaroslav Plasil levelling after quarter of an hour for an Osasuna side that boasted young talents such as Nacho Monreal and Cesar Azpilicueta.

Things got worse as Michel Salgado was sent off for a last-man challenge, before Juanfran, now of rivals Atletico, released a thunderous effort to beat Casillas and ultimately keep his side up.

Further problems mounted for Ramos as Klaas Jan Huntelaar was sent off near the end as all the frustration of a desperately disappointing season boiled over.

Real Madrid fans will be praying the departure of Ronaldo does not signal the return of these dark days.

Gary Kagelmacher made his one and only senior appearance for Real Madrid against Osasuna