[Depor] Cristián

CRISTIÁN HIDALGO GONZALEZ Date of Birth: 21 September 1983 City of Birth: Barcelona, Catalunya Nationality: Spain Contract: 2006 - 2010 Transfer: Free transfer (2006) Previous Clubs: Barcelona B (2003-2006), Barcelona C (2002-2003), Saint Gabriel (1992-2003) Buy-out Clause: ? Height: 171 cm Weight: 66 kg Position: Attacking Midfielder (left/centre/right)

Cristián was a surprising addition to the squad in the summer of 2006 as only the day before his presentation his named appeared in the papers. The versatile ex-player from Barcelona B was supposed to fight it out with Estoyanoff at right wing after the departure of legendary Víctor Sánchez, and he started none less than twenty-five Liga matches in Deportivo’s team that season. His performances were quite good in a team playing average football, but the increased competition, injuries and some average performances spoiled his season 2007/2008. Aged almost twenty-five, it seems that Cristián is a reasonable squad player to Deportivo but it remains questionable if he, with a poor number of goals and assists, is the solution for Deportivo’s attacking zone as he faces competition of players like Guardado, Lafita, Valerón and Riki. The problems of Deportivo at right wing might create en option though. Being born in the city of Barcelona, little boy Cristián started to play football at Club Esportiu Sant Gabriel. In the next ten years he quickly went through the teams of this Catalan club and during the season 2001/2002 he scored 38 goals in 31 matches for their first team, statistics that converted him into the best scorer of Spain that season. He was signed by Barcelona in 2003 for him to join their C-team and in the next year was promoted to their B-team playing in Segunda B. He scored three goals for the C-team in the season 2003/2004 and four goals for the B-team in 2004/2005. He was used as a striker on many occasions, but the Barcelona coaches then converted him into a winger. This only increased his production, as he scored eleven goals in the season 2005/2006 for Barcelona B. Questioned at that time what his role in the team was, he said: “I am neither a striker nor a winger. I prefer to play between the lines and to help the team”. During those months, Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard noticed his performances and gave him a chance in the first team which conquered the Champions League that season. Cristián was called up for the Copa match between Barcelona at little Zamora, together with Rodri. The winger come on as a substitute as the Catalans won it 1-3. But at the same time his future at the club was coming to an end. Players like Deco, Ronaldinho, Giuly, Iniesta, Van Bommel and Xavi occupied positions where Cristián could play, while 18-year old right winger Lionel Messi already was playing his second season with the first team. Barcelona B, despite Cristián’s goals, only finished sixth in Segunda B and it was time that Cristián and others made way for new players. All surrounding Deportivo where surprised when Lendoiro, at the end of June 2006, came up with Cristián. Within a day after the first radio report appeared, the deal was already done. Cristián fitted perfectly into the demands of Caparrós and Deportivo: he was a talented and a young player able to play at several different positions. His only misfortune at Barcelona had been that quality players, some of the best the Catalans had seen in many years, had blocked his entrance. He was allowed to leave for free, although his contract only expired in 2007, but Barcelona included a clause which will give them thirty percent if Cristián is sold by Deportivo. Lopo, Juan Rodríguez, Pablo Álvarez, Riki and Bodipo already had been signed, and Cristián became the sixth of seventeen players who arrived that summer. Cristián’s contract was going to run until 2010. At his presentation, Cristián admitted that he hadn’t spoken with Caparrós yet but that he was willing to play at any position that the Andalucian coach wanted him to. “I’m allright with any position, although I prefer to play on the right wing or as playmaker”. Cristián also praised Caparrós for what he knew about the coach: “He’s a hard-working coach and trusts upon youngsters like he demonstrated at Sevilla. He was the one who gave opportunities to Sergio Ramos, Dani Álves and Navas at Sevilla and has done the same to Iván Carril at Deportivo”. When asked about Deportivo, Cristián mentioned that “I already have played some friendlies in La Coruña. But this is a big step for me and I simply want to fulfil my duties”. Cristián immediately travelled with the squad to the Andalucian city of Isla Canela to prepare the season with Deportivo. Someone who also arrived to reinforce Deportivo’s right wing was Uruguayan player Estoyanoff who was loaned from Valencia. Both players were expected to fight it out for right wing together with Pablo Álvarez, who arrived with a serious injury though which kept him sidelined for many months. The versatility of Cristián became his weapon during the season 2006/2007. He was a pleasant surprise during the pre-season, was used at both wings and as a playmaker and scored a couple of goals. The late departure of Pedro Munitis that summer only increased his opportunities to play. His Catalan colleagues Rodri and Verdú joined him at Deportivo, and Cristián had two entries against Nacional de Montevideo and AC Milan during the 2006 Teresa Herrera tournament. He replaced striker Bodipo during the 3-2 home win against Zaragoza which earned Deportivo a perfect start to the Primera season. Cristián was praised in the media for his first forty minutes in the Primera División and said: “I had been waiting for my debut since my arrival and I’m happy with it, especially because we won”. Cristián admitted that he had given the shirt of his debut to his father and displayed confidence in the team: “We form a new team because of the signings. But I see that we already form a strong group and the qualities of the players can put us at the top”. His colleague Riki also praised his appearance. “I especially liked Cristián a lot. I didn’t know him before he arrived and he is a pleasant surprise”. Cristián was brought slowly by Caparrós as he only entered the team at Mallorca (0-0) when the match was almost done. What the coach didn’t appreciate was the red card he received during a mid-week friendly against tiny Naron. It didn’t affect his chances though as Cristián earned his first two starting spots against Villarreal (2-0 win) and Levante (2-0 loss) when Cristián played at the left wing. A back injury prevented him from playing in the next two matches of Deportivo, but he played in fourteen of the next fifteen matches (he had to miss one because of a suspension) of which thirteen as a starter and became Deportivo’s main offensive weapon at the left, as he won a battle there with Filipe who didn’t appear to be a winger-type. A ‘Catalan’ team of Deportivo faced FC Barcelona on 4 November 2006 as all Lopo, Capdevila, Sergio, Verdú and Cristián were in their starting eleven. A combination of Cristián and Verdú earned the team a penalty kick was eventually led to the equalizer scored by Juan Rodríguez (1-1). Both Verdú and Cristián were praised by the media for their performance and also Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard emphasized their good job: “I would like to congratulate them because they are doing a fine job. In the play which led to Deportivo’s goal they were really smart”. Cristián called the match “a special moment for me. And I am content with the game that we displayed”. On a personal level, Cristián would remain successful during the season as he started twenty-five Liga matches, was brought in another four and became Deportivo’s eighth player with Liga minutes. Cristián was part of the team at Gimnástic de Tarragona (0-0) which was one of the youngest in ages of Deportivo with starters like Arbeloa (23), Coloccini (24), Verdú (23), Arizmendi (22), Cristián (23) and striker Adrián (18). But the fortunes of Deportivo were turning. The point taken against Barcelona was considered very precious, while the awful match at Gimnástic later showed to be an indication of more difficult times. The team had been given the benefit of the doubt because the results were quite good, despite the ‘luck’ the team seemed to have and the defensive and physical long-ball football preached by Caparrós. But a 0-1 defeat in Riazor against arch-rivals Celta de Vigo started a period when Deportivo only gained one point out of six matches, scored just one goal (which didn’t really help during the 4-1 loss at Osasuna) and had dropped to fifteenth place when the year 2007 started. Cristián only shared in the misery of the team and was sent-off during a hopeless 0-0 draw in Riazor against 9-men Racing de Santander. It’s the beauty of football that a team placed fifteenth can completely outplay a team placed third, and that happened when Real Madrid suffered yet another loss in Riazor on 7 January 2007 (2-0). Real Madrid fielded a star-team with Casillas, Cannavaro, Sergio Ramos, Raúl, Guti, Reyes and Van Nistelrooy and brought players like Ronaldo and Beckham during the match. But they couldn’t handle the offensive line-up of Deportivo with Cristián at the left, Estoyanoff at right and with Riki and Arizmendi having free roles. The wingers always looked dangerous when they started to attack while Riki, and especially Arizmendi, drove the Madrid-defence crazy. It was Arizmendi who set up Deportivo’s second goal when his pass only had to be tapped in by Cristián, who scored his first goal ever in the Primera División. The team gained new confidence and would be unbeaten in eight matches and leaked just two goals in them. It led to a place in the standings at just two wins from UEFA Cup football, and Cristián started in seven of those matches (he missed the other because of an injury). Especially during the 0-2 win at Villarreal, who would qualify for UEFA Cup football that season, he was a nightmare for the local defenders. A pattern seemed to have emerged that season. If the team did well, Cristián did well. And if the team failed, Cristián failed. The small Catalan winger didn’t prove to be the player to make a team lift its head, but he showed to have enough qualities for Primera level and to add qualities to a winning team. This could have been the reasons why his performances dropped, and hence the one of the team or vice versa, after the 0-1 win at Lotina’s Real Sociedad on 24 February 2007. The team won three, drew one and lost four out of the next eight matches, and Cristián started in six of them. It was now 29 April 2007 and the team were eight points away from UEFA Cup football and thirteen points above the relegation zone. On a personal level, Cristián admitted that he had received some offers during the winter months to leave Deportivo but refused to give names. On 19 March, at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, he was one of 49 football players who performed in the Match Against Poverty organized by UN Development Programme Goodwill Ambassadors Ronaldo and Zidane. Cristián even provided Sonny Anderson with a goal which saw the match finishing 6-2 in the advantage of the opposing team. Cristián called it “a pleasure to be part of. First of all, it’s for a good cause. And second, because of the players who were there. When they told me that I would play, I couldn’t believe it. And once I was on the pitch I tried to enjoy the moment. It was a great pleasure to be alongside all those big players who I watched on the television just a few years ago”. When asked about his situation at Deportivo, he said that “everything is going perfect and I couldn’t have asked for more. I enjoy many minutes in Primera and let’s see if we can make it to the Copa final”. That wasn’t to be though as Espanyol blocked Deportivo’s way into the final. In Primera, the team only took four points from the seven latest matches and finished at spot thirteen, but a tactical decision of Caparrós and a suspension kept Cristián sidelined for five weeks. But it was never known why Caparrós suddenly didn’t look at Cristián (and neither at Verdú) and the player said that his coach didn’t explain it to him either. “Maybe he thought that other players were better positioned than me. If that’s his opinion I will respect it. But I don’t know as he hasn’t talked to me about it. I simply know that I will give everything during the training sessions in order to return to the team as quickly as possible. I don’t call it unfair, as other players have experienced the same like Verdú, Iago and Adrián, but I don’t like it. Caparrós is the coach that gave me an opportunity in Primera and I thank him for that”. But as quickly as he had disappeared from the line-up, as quickly he returned to play the final three matches of the season from start to end (a personal record). As a player who arrived from Segunda B, his first season at the club can be considered a success. He was a regular player in the team and Deportivo’s main weapon at the left wing, where he played a handful of good matches, some were bad and most of them were allright. Cristián showed to be an active and hard-working player with a lot of skills and his versatility became an important weapon. On the other hand, his overall level was as the one of the team and that wasn’t spectacular at all. Cristián rarely was the worst player on the pitch nor was he the best. He was very regular, and like the team he wasn’t very efficient. It’s no surprise that he didn’t gave many vital crosses as the team only scored 32 goals (the lowest amount of Primera next to Real Sociedad). Besides, he only scored 1 goal in 2015 Primera minutes (the equivalent of more than 22 full matches) and even that one was a ‘sitter’ against Real Madrid. It always will remain a question whether Cristián was influenced by the team in this aspect or it was the other way round. Add to this that Cristián was booked seven times and even was sent off once, and some sort of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde dilemma appeared. Being almost 24-years old, he would have to show more consistency in the season 2007/2008. There was never a doubt that Cristián would stay in the squad and Lotina quickly indicated that right wing was perfectly covered with Pablo Álvarez, new signing Lafita and Cristián. The signing of Mexican youngster for the left wing and the departure of Estoyanoff from the right wing (his loan deal wasn’t extended) meant a moved focus for Cristián to that spot. During friendlies Lotina opted to use Cristián on both wings and the coach called him “a player who has surprised us in a positive way. He works hard, he’s swift, very dynamic and he can play at both wings. He isn’t a player for one-on-one situations, but he makes good combinations and posses a good shot”. Cristián started at Deportivo’s right wing during the 2007 Teresa Herrera tournament against Atalanta Bergamo and he was Lotina’s choice to play in the first match of the season against Almería. Lotina said: “Cristián will play because he’s in great form. Besides, Lafita was out during some days this summer and isn’t 100% right now”. It proved to be a one-time experiment as the 0-3 defeat in Riazor had major consequences, including Cristián whose error led to the third goal of the opponents. Guardado and Lafita became Lotina’s preferences in the next three matches and Cristián had to do with three entries and wasn’t convincing. A fit Cristián wasn’t used for the matches against Recreativo and Espanyol after which Deportivo occupied a relegation spot. That match at the Montjuic already had contained many chances (Filipe, Adrián López, De Guzmán and Xisco played) and now Lafita was sacrificed after the 1-0 defeat against the Catalans. But Juan Rodríguez took Lafita’s spot at Sevilla (a 0-1 win) as Cristián suffered from a small injury. Cristián replaced Guardado in the team which lost 2-4 against Valencia but noticed how Lotina copied the wings of the two previous matches and used the Mexican and Juan Rodríguez for the wings at Real Madrid (a 3-1 loss). Then new opportunities for Cristián arrived. Because Juan Rodríguez was moved to midfield to replace the suspended Sergio in the Mallorca match (a 1-1 draw), Cristián was preferred above Lafita at the right wing, against the island-team. But not even against 10-men Mallorca did the team create enough danger. Lotina kept Cristián in the team though and now benched both Lafita and Juan Rodríguez for the Murcia match. The difference this time was that the home side wasn’t good enough to cause many problems and their defence more vulnerable than Mallorca’s, which eventually led to a decent 0-2 victory for the Galicians. The problems were repeated though when Racing de Santander visited Riazor. Cristián started his third consecutive Liga match, but a newspaper called the 0-1 defeat “a lot of noise from this Babydepor, but useless without gunpowder upfront”. Xisco hadn’t started his goal scoring yet and once more the duo Verdú-Cristián showed that they’re capable of good football, but not of being very decisive. Cristián missed the Bilbao and Osasuna matches because of a virus that caused several victims in the squad, but he reappeared at the best thinkable place: against FC Barcelona in the Nou Camp. He (24), together with Catalan Verdú (24), left winger Guardado (21) and striker Xisco (21), shocked the Catalans as Cristián’s powerful long-distance shot gave them an early lead. But it was Cristián who caused a penalty-kick by fouling Iniesta in the box and the match was level just before the break, and lost with nineteen minutes remaining and Cristián still on the pitch. After the match, he admitted his mistake: “The game was in our advantage from the start, but then I screwed up and there was this penalty goal. It was a decisive moment”. The situation in the Liga now became more critical to the team as safety was two points away and other teams were escaping. Cristián played three consecutive matches as a starter for the second time this season against FC Barcelona (a 2-1 loss), Zaragoza (a 1-1 draw) and Levante (a 0-1 win). Simply looking at the results, these were very reasonable. The Copa match at Espanyol (1-1) was a remarkable experiment with all Juan Rodríguez, Lafita, Cristián and Riki playing with Adrián upfront and the Catalan later moving from the right to the left. But safety in the Liga was now just one point away and seven rivals were in the distance of just one victory, while the team kept its Copa chances intact, and there was hope for the start of the new year. But the second part of the season 2007/2008 was very tough for Cristián while Deportivo raised its head at the end of January to overcome its latest setback in results. Cristián missed the 0-3 home defeat against Atlético at the start of the year 2008 because of sickness. But his return to the Primera División only would be four months after the match at Levante because of a knee injury. It were weeks when all attention was focused on, first, Deportivo’s race towards Segunda and later on the quick climb on the ladder. This had much to do with the only signing that was done during the winter months: the one of Swedish right winger Christian Wilhelmsson. He, the appearance of Lafita at the left wing as a crucial player and the return of Valerón to the team caused that Cristián was almost forgotten. For the first time in four years the team was getting good results in a row and that gave Lotina time to wait with Cristián’s return. Near the end of March the Catalan winger completed his first training session after ten weeks and he himself aimed at the Bilbao match of 13 April, but he was realistic too: “I don’t want to force myself because training isn’t the same as playing. And because the team is phenomenal right now it will be very difficult to return. It’s good if I get back on the list of players, and if not I simply must continue to fight. It would be normal if the team continues with the same names. But I would like to play some before the season ends”. When asked about his season so far and his future at Deportivo, he said: “This season has not been very good. At first I didn’t have continuity and later, when I started to play more, I got injured. I’m not satisfied with the minutes that I’ve played, but I’m not angry about that. It’s important that first we were in the danger zone and now we’re out of it. Lotina has found the winning formula and that’s what matters in football. I myself want to continue at Deportivo after this season as I have two more years of contract left. Here life is good and people really treat me well. I am happy in La Coruña”. Lotina picked Cristián for the match at Osasuna (a 0-1 win) and brought him for the injured Barragán with thirty minutes remaining. That was the reason why Cristián was Deportivo’s right defender during the final phase of the match when the team scored a goal and kept a clean sheet until the end and climbed from tenth spot to eighth spot in the Liga table. Cristián said about his unusual place on the pitch: “I never had played there before and I didn’t have time to warm up. But in the end, with the help of Lopo, I think that I fulfilled my duty and did a decent job. Anyway, when Lotina told me to prepare myself I was delighted. I needed that and was fed up with watching the away matches at home”. And with Barcelona as next opponent, Cristián was looking forward to the match against his former club: “Let’s see if I have a to chance to play some minutes next week in a time when things are calmer. It would be phenomenal to achieve a fifth straight win, also because we’re playing in Riazor”. Cristián, and Verdú, were given late entries in that match and a combination of them led to Cristián’s effort which was cleared off the goal line by Sylvinho. The fifth straight win of Deportivo leaped the team into seventh spot at just one win of an UEFA Cup spot, and it was rumoured that Cristián was going to take Lafita’s spot (he was suspended) at Zaragoza (a 1-0 loss). In the end Lotina opted to use Riki next to Wilhelmsson and Xisco, but Cristián was given his third consecutive entry. It would be his last though as Wilhelmsson was Lotina’s unquestioned starting winger for the right wing during the final three matches of the season, while Lafita was the one for the left. Lotina opted for Juan Rodríguez instead of Lafita for the Atlético away match (Lafita entered that match later) while he made a ‘golden substitution’ by bringing Riki against Levante. During the final match of the season against Villarreal it was the return of Guardado to the team as a substitute. It was evident that Cristián’s first season at the club (2006/2007) had been much more successful than his second one (2007/2008). Only looking at Liga numbers, his amount of matches was less than half (from 29 to 14 matches) and Cristián played just one full match against ten in the year before. His minutes decreased even more as he played only 684 compared to 2015 the year before. Cristián simply was an ordinary squad player during the season 2007/2008. He was fit during the first four months, and claimed some starting places. But he missed most of the weeks when Deportivo started to roll and when he was fit again, he wasn’t really needed. The question remains what Cristián’s role will be in the season 2008/2009. Cristián’s strength, or weakness, is that he can play at any spot in the attacking zone. But he has rivals in Guardado, Lafita, Valerón, Riki and Juan Rodríguez and all of them seem to have a higher place in the hierarchy. Cristián’s only chance, probably, will be the spot of right winger. Wilhelmsson’s loan deal couldn’t be extended because of financial reasons while Lafita’s emergence took place at left wing, and not the right one. Guardado has played some minutes at right wing, but that’s not his spot and neither is it the one of Riki or Valerón who need more freedom on the pitch. Deportivo’s only specific right winger, Pablo Álvarez, doesn’t seem to count to Lotina and that’s what makes this spot a great opportunity for Cristián. Although he’s favourite to occupy that role, the absence of a specific right winger during the pre-season indicates that Lotina might opt for a more flexible attacking system which would make Cristián compete again with all other players mentioned. If given a chance, it’s up to Cristián to take it this year because it will become an important one for him on a personal level. Cristián will become 25-years old during the first weeks of the season and there’s no excuse anymore of being a youngster. With 43 Liga matches behind his name he has gained experience during two years at Deportivo and it’ll become clear this season if he can continue from here or if he has reached his top.