That was the score yesterday in the Riazor, and that could be end of the Champions League dream for this year giving the wins for Sevilla and Villareal over the weekend. Oh well, never mind theres always next year and this team is moving in the right direction.

An early goal from Joan Verdu appeared to have put us firmly on course for victory but a sweet finish from Sergio Garcia drew the visitors level shortly after the half-hour mark.

Verdu’s goal came after a frantic 30 seconds of action, see below, its deadly!

Lotina introduced Juan Carlos Valeron shortly after the hour-mark as he looked to inject some guile around the edge of the 18-yard box but the veteran playmaker was largely ineffective, bringing just one save out of Ricardo with a hopeful strike late on.

Highlights

In other news Everton are apparently interested in signing Juan Rodriguez. I can’t see it happening to be honest, he knows he’s an integral part of the squad and with both clubs likely to be playing in the same European Competition next season I don’t see why he should get up and go.

Depor 5-3 Santander
A cracker this one, as the score line suggests, the introduction of Riki after half time was key and in 10 magical minutes, the best football Depor have played all season, we scored 4 goals. The win elevates us to joint 5th place in the table. Scorers were Juan Rodriguez, Riki x2, Angel Lafita and Joan Verdu

Highlights

Next up a trip to Sporting de Gijon. Expect Goals…

Sporting de Gijon 3-2 Deportivo
There was goals alright but the wrong allocation. Two goals in four second-half minutes boosted Sporting Gijon’s survival hopes and dealt a blow to our Champions League dreams, but not a critical one.

Luis Moran and David Barral with the first of three penalties in the match put Sporting two up after 53 minutes.

Sergio Gonzalez halved the deficit from the spot only for Jose Angel Valdes to net Sporting’s third three minutes later.

Second-half substitute Riki converted a second Depor penalty four minutes from time, but we could not find an equaliser.

Highlights

Aquino
Depor are rumoured to be leading the race to sign Real Murcia’s young 19 year old striker Dani Aquino. A fee of around €6 million has being mooted in some quarters.

Miguel Lotina revealed yesterday that both Anders Guardado and Riki should be back for the match up against Santander at the weekend. Google Translate stated that he said:

“We will see how training on Thursday. The idea is to make a big party to field a half hour to see how they are. If you do well then probatura of this may come Sunday

Now we do not want to relax, I get the same classification but have to give a little in everything”

However Google translate is a load of bollocks and I think this is really what he meant to say:

“We will see how training goes on Thursday. The idea is to have an 11 a side game for half an hour to see how they are. If they do well then probably they will come on Sunday

And I don’t have the foggiest what he’s saying in the second part. My Spanish isn’t exactly what it could be, but hey thats life.

Anyways its great to get these two back, they will probably both slot into the first team, well Guardado certainly will anyways, and it is a great boost for the run in of La Liga. Maybe its good in a way that we are knocked out in Europe and the Cup as we will for the most part have only one game a week from here on out and seing the likes of Malaga, Sevilla, Valencia and Villareal all stutter in recent times it helps one believe in Champions League qualification which has to be the ultimate goal.

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In other news and Miguel Lotina has denied that he forced Omar Bravo to leave the club claiming it was a mutual thing. Bravo had claimed that he had said that he wanted to stay on in Andalusia. Lotina said the move was beneficial for Bravo saying that it will give him a better chance to re-establish himself with the Mexican team and will be a good chance to regain some confidence.

The move is a 4 month loan initially and le Tigres have an option to buy at the end of that, if they like what they see.

Guardado said his part on the matter too:

“I talked to Omar [Bravo] and I told him that I wish him much luck and acheives everything that he wants.

“He is a great player and I am sure he will do very well. He is a good friend of mine.”

I reckon he never settled in A Coruna, and while he is a talented player, Depor can get by without him.

Thought for the Day Did anyone else think that Mel Gibson’s remake of the Life of Brian wasn’t as funny as the original?

I must apologise to my legions of loyal fans as I was swamped with college work over the past two weeks and didnt get a chance to post. Not that there was much to write home about as we were hammered out of the UEFA Cup by Aalborg, which is quite depressing really, but managed to pick up a point against Valencia which wasnt too bad.

Anyways we travelled to Soria yesterday to take on Numancia and walked away with all three points after Juan Rodriguez scored in the 76th minute to maintain the push for European football next season and push Numancia closer to the Primera Liga trapdoor.

Deportivo created all the major chances in the match but had to weather a mini-onslaught from the Numancians after half time but when Rodriguez slotted home Angel Lafita’s pin point pass the result was never really in doubt

However it was not all good news as both Ze Castro and Antonio Tomas picked up injuries.

Miguel Lotina said after the match:

“The team did not play well today. We lacked fluidity all over the pitch, and we won the match doing very little.”

Which is often times a good thing. Anyways the result leaves Depor in 8th place in the table, but level on points with 3 other teams and only 3 points away from the Champions League places. It really is going down to the wire between a number of teams for that last prestigious place

And Angel Lafita is Depor’s player of the season thus far. No question

Highlights

Depor Fact of the Day: Luis Felipe has called getting onto goal.com’s La Liga Team of the Week as the crowning achievement of his career.

He went on to say that any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.

And bygod isnt he right?

8th placed Depor host 17th place Osasuna tomorrow in the Riazor at 19:00 GMT.

It is a game that one would expect Depor to win to maintain their push for Europe, and playing at home should be an advantage.

The match pitches Miguel Lotina against one of his ols clubs, as he managed the Pamplona club between 1999 and 2002

Dani Aranzubia maintains that the team will not be distracted by the match with Aalborg coming up in midweek and the next game is always the most important one.

He quotes in Marca: “Right now everyone is concentrated on getting a head start on Saturday and obtain the three points,”

The goalie underlined how good the Galicians have played at home this season. “In all matches played in Riazor, except for those against Sporting and Sevilla, we showed a very good image and played a pretty good game,” he argued.

Predicted Line Up: Aranzubia – de Guzman – Lopo – Ze Castro – Felipe – Sergio – Verdu – Alvarez – Cristian – Valeron – Lafita

*Transfer related news*…Finally

Goal.com are reporting that 30 year old Malaga winger, Javier Calleja, is poised to sign in the summer on a free transfer.

Deportivo have yet to make a formal offer but Calleja believes that something could happen soon and would like the situation swiftly resolved.

“The interest from Deportivo is flattering and I will decide quickly [where my future lies],” AS quote him as saying. “I am flattered that a club with the history and stature of Deportivo want me to join.

“It would be beneficial for me, for my family and for the club if things are decided soon. We will be calmer and Malaga will be able to seek a replacement in plenty of time.

I don’t know that much about him yo be honest, but he seems to be wanted by a number of clubs. At 30, he is not one for the future but if he does a decent job for a few seasons and costs nothing then why not sign him I say. His versatility would be an asset too, as he can also play left back.

As opposed to one gained.

Thats the feeling one gets in their stomach after Depor drew 1-1 with Mallorca on Sunday afternoon.

Joan Verdu scored an equaliser from the penalty spot 14 minutes from time to earn h a 1-1 draw and deny 10-man Real Mallorca the chance to move off the foot of the Primera Liga table.

The hosts looked set to grab three vital points in their fight for survival when Aritz Aduriz headed them into a 56th-minute lead.

Depor will be disappointed with the draw as their hopes of qualifying for Europe continue to fade after managing just four points from their past five games.

On the back of that poor run we have dropped to eighth, three points behind fourth-placed Valencia who have a game in hand.

One would have expected Depor to win this game comfortably given the two teams league positions, but it was the islanders who bossed proceedings and were unfornunate not to gain all three points.

Manager Miguel Angel Lotina was particularly irritated with his team’s inability to pick up all three points, and he told journalists at the press conference, “In the first half, we were very cold, we had possession in deep areas but we could not create anything.

“We spoke at half-time about how we could improve but instead we let Mallorca get ahead of us.”

He also remarked that he did not see the penalty decision from his dugout which was dubious enough, to say the least.

This match also marked Juan Valerons 300th La Liga game, so congratulations to him.

Highlights

Strange but True Depor Fact of the Day: Mr. T pities the fool. Riki rips the fool’s head off.

Spanish Basketballer attempting to transfer Depor legends silky skills to a slightly bigger round ball

As Daryl covered over at the main page, ex Depor outdoor soccer great, and current Depor indoor soccer great Djalma Feitosa Dias, known to me and you as Djalminha has inspired Rudy Fernandez in the development of his newest slam dunk move. Its hard to explain what I mean so here’s the video
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Will this inspire further cross sports bastardizations? This blogger says almost certainly yes so prepare to see American footballers doing Carlos Spencer type passes

and for David Navarro to take up rugby

Mallorca – Depor

Depor travel to the islands tomorrow afternoon to play the leagues basement boys, albeit it on goal difference, and a win has to be expected especially with Angel Lafita in such good form.

I am delighted that Depor are still flying high in the table despite their recent blip in form, and could move above fifth-placed Villarreal with a victory in Mallorca.

That would be the ideal way for Depor playmaker Juan Carlos Valeron to celebrate what he admits will be a “very special game” for him.

Not only did the injury-plagued 33-year-old start off his top-flight career at Mallorca, but if he plays tomorrow it will be his 300th appearance in the Primera Liga – although that milestone is not something he is overly concerned about.

“I don’t give it too much importance, although I’m not going to deny that for anyone it’s nice to get to something like that,” he said.

“Mallorca were the team who gave me the opportunity to play in the Primera Liga and they are always going to be in my heart.”

Depor 3 – 0 Villareal

Depor bounced out of their slump emphatically yesterday at the Riazor, beating rivals Villareal emphatically, 3 – 0.

Angel Lafita was the hero yet again, setting us on our way with an early strike and adding a second shortly after the hour-mark, before Riki completed the scoring with a solo effort moments later. They were all great goals too, I particularly enjoyed the second, the ball seemed to move in slow motion almost.

Villarreal were dead and buried but they were at least handed the chance to restore some pride with a dubious-looking penalty as Mati Fernandez went down under the challenge of Alberto Lopo on 74 minutes.

However, it mattered little as the returning Aranzubia beat away Senna’s spot-kick to keep his own clean-sheet intact and to maintain the charge for Europe.

Juan Carlos Valeron got a huge cheer before the match too, when his name was called out. He was starting his first home game for a few years.

The win moves Superdepor to within touching distance of the top six, and manager Miguel Lotina beamed, “It was perhaps the most complete performance since I have became manager here.

“We scored after two minutes and because we made it 1-0 so early in the match it made it easier for us to have a good match.”

The win ended their losing streak and Lotina insisted that a combination of skill and hard work had allowed them to turn their form around.

He continued, “The team has struggled, but we have trained hard and had fight to get a victory, we have great quality and now we have found our form back.”

Next up is a trip to Mallorca, and suddenly things dont seem so bad.

Plus we have a nicer kit than Villareal too.

Highlights

Strange but True Depor Fact of the Day Luis Felipe destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.

And one more thing: I see there is a lot of Football Manager blogs going on here and feel like I should add my two cents. I reckon that success is easy, I manage Roma at the minute but have managed many different teams in my time.

I think the key to success is selling some of your bigger players, but not all, for example I would never sell Totti, and then buy wonderkids baby! No need to overthink it, its all about the kids

Also I bought Anders Guardado, and while he is a key part of my left wing system, ie he is it, he is always annoying the shit of me. ‘Wah, wah I deserve more than €2,000 per week’ he says. ‘No way is Alessio Cerci better than me’ is another one – ‘Give me a starting place!’. Give me a break. Talk about art imitating art.

I found this article while trawling through the murky underbelly of the internet and thought it was a glowing tribute to a fantastic player, and man, who has overcome all the odds, by starting his first game in 3 years at the weekend. A true legend of the modern game, and a ridiculously popular one at that.

Juan Carlos was never the fastest man on a team, but his vision was second to none when he was at his prime. For the unitiated, think of Guti and Joseba Exteberria combined and you’re getting close.

Valerón is an exemplary player noted for his outstanding character, and alongside players like Raúl González is regarded as a role model, rightfully combining temperament and passion

The Fall and Rise of Deportivo La Coruna

Also while looking about I found this other article, written by Tim Stannard over at Football 365, that is a good read for not only Depor fans but fans of football in general.

As Myxomatosis says below the article in the comments Depor are: “(Almost) the Leeds of Spain. Both overspent in trying to cement an unrealistic position at the top of the European queue. Both play each other in a CL semi-final. Both fall flat on their arses. At least Depor still have the consolation of top flight football, a position Leeds may never get back to. Lessons never seem to be learned in football. Overspend and over-reach almost certainly leads to certain death.’

Even though it was a quarter final it is still a very valid point.

Super Depor Fact of the Day: People created the automobile to escape from Juan Carlos Valeron Santana…Not to be outdone, Valeron created the automobile accident.