Not a lot of people are acquainted with what has been one of the World's best clubs in the past 5 years. Here is an introduction to most of their key players, translated from Depor's web site. These guys are good... Makaay Holland International with the U-21 squad. He arrived in Spain from Vitesse. As a side note Makaay made his Spanish League debut in the Tenerife-Deportivo game at Heliodoro Rodríguez August 31st, 1997. Last season he was the leading goal-scorer for Deportivo, La Liga champions. In the 2000-2001 season, he won the Spanish Supercopa championship with Deportivo. Physically very strong and technically superb, he has been one of the best acquisitions for Deportivo in the last few years. Valerón The Spanish International participated in the 2000 European Championships. He was incorporated just this past season in the Herculine Club arriving from Atlético de Madrid. In the 2000-2001 season he was champion of the Supercopa de España with Deportivo. Mauro The Brazilian International arrived at Deportivo in 1992 from Bragantino. He has won a King's Cup and two SuperCups with Deportivo (1995 and 2000) and was an undisputable starter for the Brazilian team that won a 4th world championship in 1994. He has won the Spanish League with Deportivo (99-00). One of the best players in the world at his position, he is strong and has a 6th sense in anticipating and intercepting balls for the counter attack. Naybet Morroco International. He participated in the World Cups of the United States and France. He has won 3 league titles in Morroco (89, 90, and 92), one African Copa (92) and one Arabic Supercopa with WAC (93) and one Portuguese Supercopa with Sporting (96). He is also one of the integral parts of Deportivo de La Coruña that won the Liga 99-00 and attained the Spanish Supercopa in the 2000-2001 season. He is regarded as one of the best central defenders in world football. Donato A Spanish International, he arrived at our football club from the Brazilian team Vasco da Gama. He has won three King's Cups (two with Atlético de Madrid and one with Deportivo) and two Spanish Supercups (Deportivo 1995 and 200) as well as the Spanish League (Deportivo 1999-2000). He is capable of playing at the highest level in different positions and is an example of professionalism for any athlete. Héctor One of the reinforcements brought in for the 2001-2002 season that arrives due to his great play as a right back with Sevilla. Sergio A midfielder who prefers to play in the center of the field, he is notable in the physical, tactical, and technical aspects. Sergio is a good passer, great conductor of the offensive game and capable of continuously adapting to the development of the game. Juanmi Developed in the Real Madrid system, the all-around athlete played 9 seasons in Real Zaragoza, the club where he won two King's Cups and a European King's Cup. Before that he had already won another King's Cup with Madrid. He was incorporated with Deportivo de La Coruña in the 2002-03 season. Toro Acuña One of the best Latin Americans in the Spanish League, he arrives from Real Zaragoza, even though his travels have included teams like Lanús, Independiente, Nacional, and Boca Juniors. He arrives at Deportivo for the 2002-03 season. Fran After more than a decade with Deportivo de La Coruña, Fran has become one of the most emblematic players of the team. A member of the club from the start, he has been a Spanish International and is the captain of Deportivo. In his trophy case he has a King's Cup (95), two Supercopas (95 and 00) and the Spanish League (99-00), all with Deportivo. He has contributed more to the play of Deportivo than almost any other player in the history of the club. Capdevila A U-21 International Wing-back on the left side who shifts with ease into the attack, he is also a capped Spanish International. He became part of the Deportivo squad in 2000 arriving from Atlético de Madrid. In the 2000-01 season he was champion of the Spanish Supercopa with Deportivo. He is physically strong, important because this permits him to both push up constantly in the attack the entire game but at the same time he can quickly return to his wing-back position. Víctor A Spanish International at the youth levels. He has recently been capped with the Senior International squad after playing for Deportivo. He started in the youth system of Real Madrid, but he arrived at Deportivo after playing with Racing de Santander. He was champion of La Liga, Supercopa, and the Champions League with the Madrid first team. He has also been a champion of La Liga and the Supercopa with Deportivo. Luque A very technical player who doesn't back down from physical contact. He was one of the big surprises of the 2000-01 season with Mallorca and surpassed his goal-mark in 2001-02 with 14 more. He has an awesome shot with his left foot, is very fast and plays well up front. He culminated his great personal season with an appearance in the Korea and Japan World Cup, where he had his minutes. In August of 2002 he arrives at Deportivo. Romero He debuted in the first division with the C.D.Logroñés squad. Runner up in the King's Cup with Real Mallorca, he is one of the integral parts of the Deportivo de La Coruña team that won the Liga 99-00. Since he has been at Deportivo he has been called up to the Spanish International Team. In the 2000-01 season he was champion of the Supercopa. We could define him as a very regular player who contributes to the quality, discipline, and shape of the game.
I'm surprised at no mention of Diego Tristan, although anyone who's followed the Spanish game or even watched the Champions' League in the past two years should be very familiar with him.
Good stuff Nutmeg. It's fun to watch Depor and Valencia, because they play high quality Spanish soccer without the baggage of supporting either Real Madrid or Barcelona (that baggage being a deep seated hatred for the other team). Deportivo certainly are one of the greats of Spain, occupying the spot that Atletico Madrid abdicated by going through the turmoil they have the past couple of years. They are fun to watch, play with heart, and have a coach that is one of the best in Europe, not just Spain, Javier Irureta.
This was just the team that beat Bayern this week. I'll translate Tristan in a bit. Thanks MFC. When I lived in Spain, my girlfried was a Gallega from Coruña. I was a die-hard Osasuna and Real Madrid fan until I saw Depor play for the first time live with the Gallega. Their soccer was and still is probably the most exciting brand of soccer for me to watch in the world.
Good post nutmeg, nice to see another Depor fan. It amazes me that they have remained so anonymous over the last few years while playing so well.
Makaay plays for the grown-up Holland squad, he just sits on the bench a lot And yeah, Depor has a great team.
Was that the Deportivo team that Betis kicked in the ass 2-4 to open up the liga this year? Yeah I thought so, at least they have classy fans who were kind enough to applaud the Betis squad after the defeated Depor when they left the pitch at Riazor. Saludos y Viva Er EuroBeti Manque Alfonso y Lopera! Pichi
2000/2001 1ª división 2º 2000/2001 1ª división 2º 1999/2000 1ª división 1º 1998/1999 1ª división 6º 1997/1998 1ª división 12º 1996/1997 1ª división 3º 1995/1996 1ª división 9º 1994/1995 1ª división 2º 1993/1994 1ª división 2º 1992/1993 1ª división 3º For 7 of the past 10 years, Deportivo has finished in the top 3 in La Liga, including their championship in 2000. I will save you the embarassment of comparing that record against the record of Betis in the same time frame. Deportivo has been consistently excellent for 10 years running. While I am somewhat indifferent towards Betis, in the few games I have seen them play recently they have played entertaining football. But they are a LONG ways off from stacking up against Depor on a consistent basis. Only three other teams can make that claim in La Liga. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and perhaps the most impressive of all, Valencia. Congrats to their fans - your teams have been outstanding for a long time. Here's to hoping Depor kicks your arse the next time around.
Whose embarrased at getting relegated twice in the last 10 years, that's what makes us Beticos a great bunch of people, we are the Chicago Cubs of la liga, after all those losses a 2-4 whipping of Depor in Riazor feels like great sex! Besides we are the only club whose motto includes manque pierda! As for that arse whipping later this year, will depor be using paddles, or a leather whip? Do behave!! Viva Er EuroBeti Manque Pierda! Pichi
Called up for Deportivo - Milán Juanmi, Dani Mallo, Scaloni, César, Donato, Naybet, Romero, Capdevila, Manuel Pablo, Héctor, Mauro, Duscher, Toro Acuña, Sergio, Víctor, Fran, Makaay, Diego and Luque are those who will be summoned by Javier Irureta for the first encounter of the Champions League this season at Riazor. Javier Irureta made a call to the Deportivo fans, "now more than ever we need your support, the team is going through some unexpected changes and some hard times in the form of injuries and needs the fans to show up, support, and energize the team." The Deportivo Manager spoke of Milán, of their offensive potential, of their quality, and how difficult he expects this game - the second of Group G - to be.
Losing Valeron is a big blow, not only for Depor, but for Spain and European qualifying. Good thing the prognosis is only 2 months out. Could be worse.
It's a bigger blow for Depor. Spain is playing Northern Ireland in Spain during that time. Valeron won't be needed for that.
Wow, I suppose that isn't as big of a blow. I thought there were more qualifying dates than that. Good to know, but it leaves Depor pretty thin at the playmaking midfielder position, especially since Djalminha has gone on his merry way. Nutmeg, who fills that spot?
This is a huge blow for Deportivo. Valerón has been the force behind the team in the past two games. He set up both goals for Makaay this past weekend against Valladolid, not to mention his contributions against Bayern. I don't know who will fill his spot, and after reading comments from Irureta, I am not sure he knows either. Tristán hasn't been at top form of late, and Acuña is still feeling his way into the squad. My guess is it will be replacement by committee, but none of the alternatives in my mind will be able to replace what Valerón has brought to the team in the past two weeks. It has been his insertion that made the enigmatic Djalminha expendable, but I wonder if Irureta is not second-guessing the decision to loan the whacky one out.
Man, the more you say, the more I realize how devastating this injury is. Especially because once Valeron recovers from the injury, it will be another month before he is in match form again. January is probably the most likely scenario for seeing Valeron back to his playmaking ways. It will be tough going for Depor until then.
If not Acuña, then one choice might be Roy Makaay in a slightly withdrawn midfield role - sort of like how Arsenal sometimes play Dennis Bergkamp.
Rivaldo and Ancelloti do not believe that the injury to Valerón will make the game any easier Rivaldo has returned to Riazor, this time in the jersey of Milán. The player appeared to be very happy in returning to the city where even now he maintains friendships. "When I left Deportivo the club was still growing and now it has attained consistency and is a great team," he affirmed. Furthermore, both Rivaldo and Milán's Manager, Ancelloti, do not believe that either Deportivo or Milán are going to change their way of playing due to the absence of Valerón at Tuesday's encounter. Rivaldo assured that he finds himself very happy at Milán, "where they have received me very well" and affirmed that he is totally recuperated for the second phase of the Champions League. "I feel very good and hope to do something big against Deportivo. I feel very strong. Saturday I didn't feel well but God decided to wait until tomorrow to feel better" and later added "I am always motivated and this is a game everyone should be up for." In Rivaldo's opinion, to win against Deportivo "you have to remain calm."
It's too bad Djalmihna isn't playing with a full deck. He would've had a golden opportunity to prove himself had he kept his mouth shut over the past couple of seasons. There is no way Irureta will try and take him off loan either. On a related note, I will be in Galicia in mid November on vacation. Lucky for me, Barça is in town on the same weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to score a pair of tickets.