Alberto Lopo

Alberto Lopo García (born 5 May 1980) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Andorran club Inter Club d'Escaldes as a central defender.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Lopo and the second or maternal family name is García.

Alberto Lopo
Lopo with Deportivo in 2015
Personal information
Full name Alberto Lopo García
Date of birth (1980-05-05) 5 May 1980
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Inter d'Escaldes
Number 17
Youth career
1990–1998 Espanyol
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2001 Espanyol B 44 (1)
1999–2006 Espanyol 178 (9)
2006–2011 Deportivo La Coruña 151 (7)
2011–2014 Getafe 40 (1)
2014–2016 Deportivo La Coruña 56 (4)
2016 Gimnàstic 5 (0)
2018– Inter d'Escaldes 4 (0)
National team
1998 Spain U17 4 (0)
1998–1999 Spain U18 7 (0)
2001 Spain U21 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 March 2018

His physical style of play resulted in him being one of the most booked players every season in Spanish football. He spent 16 years of his career – youth years accounted for – at Espanyol, twice winning the Copa del Rey.

Over 18 seasons, Lopo amassed La Liga totals of 409 matches and 19 goals, also representing in the competition Deportivo and Getafe.

Club career

Espanyol

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Lopo spent the bulk of his professional career at local RCD Espanyol, whose youth system he joined when he was 10. He made his La Liga debut on 11 April 1999 when he played injury time against Real Zaragoza at the age of 18,[1] thus becoming the first player to have represented the club in all categories;[2] his breakthrough came during 2001–02, when he only missed five league matches and scored his first goal (in the first league round and against Zaragoza)[3] but also received his first red card, during a 0–2 away loss against city rivals FC Barcelona.[4]

Lopo would remain a starter at Espanyol under several coaches (Juande Ramos, Javier Clemente, Luis Fernández and Miguel Ángel Lotina) until his departure, gaining in the process a reputation as a superb but excessively rough defender.[5] In 2002–03 he was booked 13 times in 23 games, including two in a 2–5 loss at Racing de Santander.[6] The following season, after agreeing to a three-year extension,[7] he was presented with 14 yellow cards and four red; between 2004 and 2006 he received another 21 yellow cards and two red, although the numbers somewhat decreased in the subsequent years.[5]

With two Copa del Rey trophies conquered, in 2000 and 2006, Lopo rejected an offer to renew his contract and signed for Deportivo de La Coruña.[8] 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 its youth system.[9] Espanyol's claim was based on an agreement between most Spanish clubs, although the Galician side was not a part of it as their board never confirmed it; when he joined on a free transfer in May 2006, he was considered as one of the best Spanish central defenders available.

Deportivo

In his first season, Lopo continued as always: playing most matches (31) and receiving a mention-worthy total of 11 yellow cards (this included a double one at home against Celta de Vigo – he was also sent off in the cup home match against Real Valladolid). In the first part of the season he formed a stopper partnership with Álvaro Arbeloa but, after the latter was sold to Liverpool, it was Jorge Andrade (recovered from an important injury) who accompanied him at the back: that defence, with Capdevila and Fabrizio Coloccini at the sides and Dudu Aouate as goalkeeper, kept 16 clean sheets in 38 matches, and many of the points won were based on the defensive performance of a team not capable of scoring sufficient goals; in late April 2007, his injury-time header provided a much needed 1–0 home win against CA Osasuna.[10]

During the summer of 2007, Lopo's status at the club increased, significantly, as stoppers Juanma and Andrade both left the club, the former on a free transfer to CD Tenerife whereas the Portuguese was sold to Juventus FC – he himself confirmed that Deportivo rejected a €5 million offer from Real Zaragoza for him. However, he would spend the first five months out of action, due to a recurrent leg injury.[11]

An everpresent fixture throughout 2008–09, Lopo headed in the 2–1 home winner in the league opener against Real Madrid.[12] During the campaign, as Deportivo finished seventh, he collected a total of 13 yellow cards (no ejections).[5]

Later years

Lopo continued to be an undisputed starter for Depor in the following two seasons, with relegation befalling in 2010–11. In late June, the 31-year-old free agent signed a three-year contract with Getafe CF.[13]

Lopo was played regularly during the first part of his first season. He missed several months, however, after fracturing his humerus during a game against his former team Espanyol.[14]

On 29 January 2014, Lopo returned to Deportivo after cutting ties with the Madrid outskirts side.[15] He achieved top level promotion in June, contributing with two goals[16][17] in 16 appearances.

On 15 August 2016, aged 36, Lopo agreed to a one-year deal with second-tier club Gimnàstic de Tarragona.[18] On 19 January 2018, after more than one year of inactivity, he joined Inter Club d'Escaldes of Andorra's Primera Divisió.[19]

International career

In early November 2006, Lopo was picked by Spain coach Luis Aragonés for a friendly against Romania,[20] and 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, he did not play during the 0–1 loss[21] nor was he picked again for the national side.

On 28 December 2001, Lopo made his debut for the regional team of Catalonia against Chile.[22]

Honours
Espanyol

References
  1. Álvarez, Robert (12 April 1999). "Benítez le da vida al Espanyol con un gol en el tiempo de descuento" [Benítez gives life to Espanyol with injury-time goal]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  2. Molero, Iván (25 September 2015). "El más 'curtido' de toda la Liga espera al Espanyol en A Coruña" [The League's most 'seasoned' of them all waits for Espanyol in A Coruña]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  3. Carbonell, Rafael (27 August 2001). "El Espanyol repite triunfo en el debú ante el Zaragoza" [Espanyol repeat win in debut against Zaragoza]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. Besa, Ramón (6 May 2002). "Monólogo azulgrana en el 'derby'" [Azulgrana monologue in derby]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  5. Martínez Duarte, Fernando (25 June 2014). "Casillas, Iraola y Alberto Lopo" [Casillas, Iraola and Alberto Lopo] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  6. "Racing Santander 5–2 Espanyol". ESPN Soccernet. 1 June 2003. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  7. "Lopo deal lifts Clemente". UEFA. 3 April 2003. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  8. "Two more signings at Deportivo". UEFA. 28 June 2006. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  9. "El Deportivo lleva el caso Lopo a los juzgados" [Deportivo take Lopo affair to court]. Marca (in Spanish). 17 July 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  10. "Deportivo La Coruña 1–0 Osasuna". ESPN Soccernet. 22 April 2007. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  11. "Lopo: "Estoy jugando con una pierna"" [Lopo: "I am playing on one leg"]. Sport (in Spanish). 7 February 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  12. "Rude awakening for Barça and Madrid". UEFA. 1 September 2008. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  13. "El Getafe ficha al deportivista Lopo" [Getafe sign deportivista Lopo]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 22 June 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  14. "Lopo operado satisfactoriamente de una fractura de húmero" [Lopo successfully undergoes humerus operation]. El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). 19 February 2012. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  15. "Lopo apuntala la línea defensiva del Deportivo" [Lopo bolsters Deportivo's defensive line]. Marca (in Spanish). 29 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  16. "Lopo remata en el último suspiro" [Lopo shoots in the dying breath]. Marca (in Spanish). 23 February 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  17. "El Tenerife impide al Deportivo recuperar el liderato" [Tenerife prevent Deportivo from regaining first place]. Marca (in Spanish). 29 March 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  18. "Lopo, oficialment nou jugador del Nàstic" [Lopo, officially new player of Nàstic] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  19. "Lopo ficha por un equipo andorrano" [Lopo signs with an Andorran team]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 19 January 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  20. "Luis Aragonés aprovecha el amistoso de Rumanía para hacer una revolución" [Luis Aragonés profits from Romania friendly to stage a revolution]. Marca (in Spanish). 10 November 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  21. Jurado, J. Carlos (15 November 2006). "Marica da otro varapalo a la España de Luis" [Marica strikes another blow to Luis' Spain]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  22. Astruells, Andrés (29 December 2001). "Victoria de prestigio" [Prestigious win]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  23. Astruells, Andrés (13 April 2006). "¡Increíble Espanyol!" [Incredible Espanyol!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2015.
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