Depor is First

372 days after descending to the League Two, the Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña has returned to win the right to play in the League BBVA . It has not been an easy road, far from it: for it has had to reach the high score of the category of silver, matching the score they achieved in their final ascent Valladolid, a whopping 88 points, setting a new mark victories (28), twenty of them in the fort of Riazor, which has yielded only one defeat and two draws.

It is precisely for Riazor and parish where you have to start talking about this promotion. Deportivo was the fans who laid the cornerstone for achieving the difficult task to get back to the first. The club has surpassed 25,000 members, over a third new high, reaching an average attendance Riazor than 28,000 people (more than ten fields of First), a number that falls short viewing audience of the past two months, where filled or grazed the full in every match. But the thing is not there, as well as make a fort Riazor in the Bluegill fans, especially the Riazor Blues and other clubs, have spent the year traveling to a number of stages rivals to push his team.

The second stone placed Augusto Cesar Lendoiro: removing two or three players, the president managed to keep on your computer to the spine: Aranzubía, Colotto, Guardado, Riki ... And at the same time, took command of José Luis Oltra, a coach who had already amply demonstrated their ability to climb teams. But Valencia coach has not had an easy ride. He himself defined it best: "In Tenerife enjoyed a promotion. In Depor, what I suffered. " In Madrid the rise was only a dream, an obligation. No one said it aloud, but the demand was there: it filled the stadium and spent money on the go for a goal: to return to First.

The beginning of the season was difficult. A Oltra it took a while (who does?) Achieve settle the two pillars of the epic: to really understand what is playing in the Spanish second division and give balance to a team that had left Lotina broken. The first thing was a tremendous lesson, so hard at that time as useful in the future, at the Stade de Santo Domingo, where he beat Alcorcón and put a mirror that he saw himself knocked on the canvas : 4-0, with three goals in fifteen minutes.

The balance came not without a dose of good fortune, almost an irony of fate. Jesus Vazquez, signed to serve as quarterback, considered one of the best strategos Silver Division was not able to move the team, overshadowed even by the claw and the commitment of his partner, Alex Bergantiños squad. A party before the visit of Celtic Presenter received the fifth yellow. So in the derby which was played holder Juan Dominguez, another squad. Depor beat arch-rivals with a goal of Lassad.

After that Dominguez was secured in the side. In naronés, a midfielder much thinner than Vazquez did not miss defensive balance or forcefulness (mostly because they do not have) but the team improved its performance considerably in offensive: Valeron, Guardado and company found the player who wore them ball to areas where more damage can be done.

Depor, supported by its excellent results at home, was picking up speed until the day 20 took the lead, a position that will never leave. He managed a run of 31 points of 33 possible, including nine straight wins. Celta and Valladolid only managed to keep rope, when they began to coruñeses despite how long it is the Liga Adelante, reaching get 4 points in recent days. These three teams have been providing feedback on the challenge of climbing to over all 80 points. No doubt they are the most deserved raise.
The rise of Depor has been a team effort. Aranzubía demonstrated time and again to be the best goalkeeper in the category, saving many points for a team short Depor result. Laure, a small gladiator, more than fulfilled the difficult task to replace the captain Manuel Pablo. Colotto it was all in defense: punch, claw, play the ball out ... and much danger over in the penalty area. (Contract Expires. The fans and his teammates asked him to stay. Not think it will do.) His companion at the beginning of the course was Aythami, who finished leaving his post to Zé Castro, who went from being virtually written off holder indisputable. On the left there was also change: Ayoze began, which was more or less to cause trembling in the stands every time the ball fell in your area, which ultimately replaced the Paraguayan Morel, who as my brother El Cuervo, if played Boca, how could he not be around to play on the Deportivo?

In midfield, as I said, Jesus Vazquez began the season. But the couple will always be remembered was formed by two homegrown, Alex and Juan Dominguez Bergantiños. The first is the only Coruña lifetime of eleven, in the neighborhood of the Sagrada Familia, and total delivery note how the colors feel. The first song after each game always for him. The second cascarilleiro adoption has been the best partner of Valeron and that alone, is saying something. In the bands was the Portuguese and Mexican accent. At the beginning of the course involved much Salomão, a young Dodger loan from Sporting (3 goals, 3 assists), who ended up giving way to Bruno Gama (7 goals, 8 assists), another Luso who have overcome their injuries, entrenched in the team and ended up being the man in form in the last month of competition. And on the other side, the team's best player, who always appeared when needed, which looked the stands every time he looked in trouble: Andres Guardado, 11 goals, 12 assists and more, it has participated, one way or another, in more than two thirds of the goals of Depor.

Above, where Oltra almost always played with one striker, were three men who have shone throughout the course. Riki (14 goals) was always the favorite of the coach and the fans, performing as expected of him when his many injuries have allowed. Lassad is a complex case: it has been booed by the step for his indolence and his total ignorance of the game you play, but not is left to recognize his great contribution throughout the season : 14 goals, two of them vital to beat Celta both parties. And finally, Xisco, a boy loved by the fans who have punished some strange injuries for most of the course. Before the last two games had only been able to score a goal. But in Tarragona gave victory to Depor at minute 93 and Sunday in Riazor, scored the goal that earned promotion. The hero of the last two pages.

But one is missing. The largest. The soul of the team. In twenty days will be 37 years. Two operations on his knee. A guy who when last year the decline was consummated, he wandered across the lawn, looking lost and brokenhearted. A guy who made a promise to the fans: Do not leave without returning to Deportivo to Primera. And he has done it, well he has done! You know of whom you spoke: Don Juan Carlos Valeron Santana, El Flaco, The Wizard of Arguineguin. The same that made the three plays of the three goals of Makaay who converted to Depor in the only Spanish team that won the Olympic Munich, the same stood at around Highbury Park, the same trace you become the utopia of three Milan goals into something real, the same who danced at the Bernabeu Centenariazo night ...
This season has given ten assists and scored five goals, scoring his best. But Valeron is more, much more than they can say the numbers. Despite the age of his legs, still has the passion of a boy and a gigantic heart, always ready to distill calm when others are accelerated. Blanketed by their peers, the first to chant his name, almost a prayer in Riazor, and dismissed with applause in all the fields that has happened. Valeron is a semi-god in A Coruña, the latest reincarnation of Hercules. It was here in the Tower, where the Riazor Blues left one of the most beautiful pictures of the night, creating a corridor of fire, lume, to honor the heroes in the same place where the son of Zeus defeated the giant Geryon.

About how hard it will make a template of guarantees to play next season in First there will be time to talk. The concerns do not fit well with the hangover of happiness.