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ALBERTO ALBISTEGUI ZAMACOLA
Date of Birth: 24 September, 1964
Nationality: Spain
Period at Deportivo: 1990 - 1993
Transfer: (1990, from Real Mallorca)
Clubs: Alavés (1997-1999), Real Sociedad (1993-1997), Deportivo (1990-1993), Real Mallorca (1988-1990), Sestao (1987-1988), Eibar (1986-1987), Real Sociedad (1984-1986)
Sold: (1993, to Real Sociedad)
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Position: Defender/Defensive Midfielder (central)
Matches in Primera: 58
Matches in copa del rey: -
Goals scored: 3
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 Basque defender ALBÍSTEGUI was fundamental in his first season at Deportivo, when in 1991 the Galicians achieved promotion back to the Primera División. He played two seasons with the club at the highest level, was a starter in both of these campaigns, but after three years left the club to continue his career at Real Sociedad.
It made the circle round again for Albístegui, who was born in the Basque village of Eibar and had started his professional career at Real Sociedad. Two weeks before his twentieth birthday he made his Liga debut for them in a 0-1 home loss against Málaga, but was immediately taken off after the visiting side scored their goal. Albístegui was accompanied in the starting eleven by Elduayen, Ribera and Beguiristain, who all one day would wear the shirt of Deportivo.
Competition was tough those days at Real Sociedad, and that campaign he didn’t play again. In the next season he also was used once: during a 6-0 win against Hércules Alicante. For him it was time to move one, and he joined Eibar in 1986. From the Segunda División B he stepped up one level in the next year, when he signed at Sestao. Under coach Javier Irureta he played a successful campaign, but moved on once more to Real Mallorca.
It was on the island when he returned to the Primera División. He achieved promotion with them in 1989, and on 1 October of that year played the last ten minutes of a 1-0 win against Barcelona. At Mallorca he encountered Claudio Barragán, and both players would experience later triumphs at Deportivo. But Albístegui started just two matches during the season 1989/1990, and played a total of just eighth matches, and it was time to move on once more.
In 1990 the 25-year old player had already played at four different clubs: Real Sociedad, Eibar, Sestao and Real Mallorca. But he never won a starters position in the Primera División, and neither did so when he joined Deportivo that year. Fact was that Deportivo played in the Segunda División and had been eighteen years without football at the highest level, but they were ambitious.
As said before, Albistegui was important as libero or defensive midfielder when the club finally clinched promotion in 1991. Albistegui only missed a handful of matches in the Segunda División and scored four goals. And the years after it proved to be successful too, as he reached playing twenty-five matches. The one of 29 March, 1992 he will remember best, because he scored two important goals against Toni Polster’s Logroñés (2-2). Deportivo had troubles surviving that campaign, but eventually did so after play-off matches against Betis Sevilla.
In 1992 the miracle of ‘Superdepor’ started to take shape, with the arrival of Mauro Silva and Bebeto. Albístegui moved one line back, to the defence, and helped Liaño winning the Zamora trophy that season. He played thirty-three matches, and together with Liaño, Djukic, López-Rekarte, Nando and Ribera formed a defence that allowed Deportivo to finish third that season. Once again Albístegui was important with scoring a goal, as he produced the winner at Sporting de Gijón (0-1) in April, 1993.
A negative aspect was that 28-year old Albístegui had gathered nine yellow cards and one red one that campaign, and only Claudio beat him with eleven cards. It may have influenced the decision of Deportivo to sign Valencia defender Voro and Rayo Vallecano youngster Paco, because Albístegui was allowed to return home that summer.
At Deportivo he had proven to be a serious, hardworking player capable of playing in defence and midfield. He continued this line at Real Sociedad, and from 1993 until 1997 played 113 Liga matches for them. Only a serious injury in the season 1994/1995 made him not reaching a higher amount. But Real Sociedad never reached the level of Deportivo, because the Basques played for the places between seven and eleven.
In December 1997, at the age of thirty-three, he moved one for the last time in his career as he didn’t fit anymore into the plans of Real Sociedad. He decided to join Basque club Alavés, on petition of their coach Mané. Once again he won promotion to the highest level, and with Alavés eliminated Deportivo from the Copa del Rey. During his final year, the season 1998/1999, he played nineteen matches at the highest level when Alavés barely survived. On the final day of the season he was given a decent goodbye, when at the age of thirty-four he entered the match against his former club Real Sociedad.
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