|
|
 |
 |
|
ALBERT LOPO GARCÍA
Squad Number 07/08: 4
Date of Birth: 5 May, 1980
Nationality: Spain
Contract: 2006 - 2011
Transfer: Free Transfer (2006, from RCD Espanyol)
Previous Clubs: RCD Espanyol (2000-2006), RCD Espanyol B (1998-2000)
Buy-out Clause: ?
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 81 kg
Position: Defender (central)
|
|
|
 LOPO was considered as one of the best Spanish central defenders available when he was signed on a free transfer by Deportivo in May 2006. Other clubs showing serious interest were Valencia, Villarreal, Manchester United and Newcastle United, but the Catalan player decided to join the footsteps of ex-Espanyol players Capdevila and Sergio. At Deportivo he confirmed his status, was picked for the Spanish national team and related to Villarreal (again) and Zaragoza. But Lopo is happy to stay at Deportivo and forms a fundamental piece in the team for the next years.
Lopo spent all of his professional years at Espanyol where he started to play when he was ten. Soon the coaches noticed his good skills and in April, 1999 (aged eighteen) he debuted in the Primera División against Zaragoza. In this way he became the first Espanyol player who has participated in all categories of the club: he started as alevín and ten years later he played in the first team. Well-known players of Los Pericos those days were mentioned Capdevila and Sergio, goalkeeper Toni, Iván Helguera and Esnáider. Until the summer of 2001, Lopo played twenty-two matches in the first team under coaches Brindini and Francisco Flores of which most were during the final part of the season 2000/2001. His final breakthrough came during the season after it (2001/2002) when he only missed five matches in the Liga, scored his first goal but also received his first red card during a 2-0 loss at rivals FC Barcelona.
He would remain a starter at Espanyol until his departure in May, 2006 and under coaches Juande Ramos, Javier Clemente, Luis Fernandez and Lotina gained a reputation as superb, but rough, defender. In the season 2002/2003 he was given 14 yellow cards in twenty-three matches including a double one in the match against Racing de Santander (5-2 loss). During the season after it he was presented 15 yellow cards (including three sending-offs) and one red card. Between 2004 and 2006 he received another 21 yellow cards and two red cards although the numbers somewhat decreased with the years passing by.
 Not many players can repeat what Lopo achieved with his team those years: winning two Copa del Rey trophies in 2000 and 2006. In that final year Espanyol’s officials tried to sign a new deal with the defender but Lopo had other plans. He showed to have a lot of confidence in the project of Depor coach Caparrós, rejected a renewal at Espanyol and waved away offers of earlier mentioned clubs. But although he was out of contract, Espanyol eventually started a court case against Deportivo to get financial compensation (an amount of €5,6 million was mentioned) for having educated the player in their youth system. Espanyol’s claim is based on an agreement between most Spanish clubs, but Deportivo is not part of this agreement because Depor’s board never confirmed it. The case still hasn’t been solved.
In his first season at Deportivo (2006/2007) Lopo continued as always: playing most matches (31; an injury kept him out in December and January), playing well and receiving a mention worthy total of eleven yellow cards (this includes a double one at home against Celta; Lopo was also sent off in the Copa home match against Valladolid). He was an undisputed starter in the team and fourth on Depor’s list based on Liga minutes. In the first part of the season he formed a partnership with Arbeloa. After Arbeloa was sold to Liverpool, it was Jorge Andrade (recovered from an important injury) who accompanied Lopo at the back. That central defence, with Capdevila and Coloccini at the sides and Aouate as goalkeeper, kept 16 clean sheets in 38 matches (almost half of the Liga matches played in a difficult season). Much of Depor’s points gained that season were based on the defensive performance of a team not capable of scoring sufficient goals.
In April 2007 it was Lopo’s injury-time header which gave Deportivo a 1-0 home win against Osasuna. In the Copa del Rey penalty shoot-out with Racing de Santander in November 2006 it was Lopo, who can handle the ball with both his right as left foot, who scored the decisive one. But it wasn’t only sunshine during the season: a strange handball at Betis in October 2006 earned the home side a late penalty kick and equalizer (1-1). Later Lopo admitted that he couldn’t sleep the night after this match. When, at the end of the season, the derby match against Celta approached it was Lopo who reacted as first when Baiano outed some provocative remarks. Lopo said that he would love to accept payments by third parties to defeat Celta. "We will be enchanted with that. It will help me to pay the diapers of my son. It's fresh money that you receive. However, nobody has offered this to us. We only have to be worried about our game, that's all".
 As a player his style can be described as very physical. Lopo is tall (186 cm) and one of the most booked players in Spanish football. He’s best as a marker to the opposing central striker. He can be very concentrated for ninety minutes of football and is dangerous when going forward at set-pieces. But he has some limits too. During the season 2006/2007 he was Depor’s player with most fouls. As a consequence he was Depor’s most booked player. Lopo also was the one having given most failed passes. It’s an indication that Lopo’s talk mainly should be to prevent opponents from scoring, trying to score himself and to leave the build-up to other players.
One of Lopo’s personal targets for the season was to make his debut for the Spanish national team. In November 2006 he was picked by national coach Aragonés for the friendly against Romania. Lopo said about it: "Every player has to fight hard for his pick and to be part of the national team is a reward. This is probably the most important day in my career, it's a dream coming true”. In the end, Lopo didn’t play during this 0-1 loss nor was he picked again that season for the national team. But if he repeats last year, for sure Aragonés will take a look again at the Catalan defender. In December 2001 he made his debut for the regional team of Cataluña against Chile.
During the summer of 2007 it became quickly clear that Lopo’s status at the club would be increased. Juanma was going on a free transfer while Jorge Andrade was sold to Juventus. In return, youngster Aythami (Las Palmas) was added to the squad and Pablo Amo returned from his loan deal at Recreativo. But it was evident that they, for now, would not be rivals to Lopo’s starting position in the team. Lopo himself confirmed that Deportivo rejected a €5 million offer from Real Zaragoza for him. And Marca wrote that Caparrós, who took over at Athlétic de Bilbao, wanted to take Lopo with him. Lopo was given second place (after Aouate) by the fanclub of Deportivo-La-Coruna.com concerning the Player of the Year 2006/2007 award.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
