Pichi Alonso

Pichi Alonso

Personal information
Full name	Àngel Alonso Herrera
Date of birth	(1954-12-17) 17 December 1954
Place of birth	Benicarló, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
	CD Benicarló
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1975–1977	Castellón	57	(20)
1977–1982	Zaragoza	160	(92)
1982–1986	Barcelona	54	(13)
1986–1989	Español	79	(25)
Total		350	(150)
International career
1979	Spain U23	5	(1)
1981	Spain B	1	(2)
1978–1980	Spain	3	(0)
Managerial career
1992–1993	Figueres
1995–2005	Catalonia
2006	Metalurg Donetsk
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Alonso and the second or maternal family name is Herrera.

Àngel "Pichi" Alonso Herrera (born 17 December 1954) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.

A player with a prolific scoring rate whom never won the Pichichi Trophy he represented, amongst others, both Barcelona major teams during his career. He amassed La Liga totals of 265 games and 108 goals over the course of 11 seasons and won five major titles, all with Barcelona.

Playing career

Born in Benicarló, Castellón, Valencian Community, Alonso made his professional debuts with local CD Castellón, in the second division, in 1975. Two years later he moved to Real Zaragoza, playing 33 La Liga matches in every season he remained there and never netting less than 15 goals; in his debut year, he scored five in an 8–1 routing of RCD Español.

For the 1982–83 campaign Alonso moved to FC Barcelona, being relatively used in his first year but losing his importance after the purchase of Scotland's Steve Archibald, and never regaining it again. Still, he scored three goals against IFK Göteborg in the 1986 European Cup semifinals, allowing the Catalans to reach the final of the competition against FC Steaua Bucureşti in Seville, where he came on as a substitute in extra time, in an eventual penalty shootout loss; he was one of four players that had his attempt saved by opposing goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam.

Alonso regained his scoring prowess at Barça neighbours Espanyol, helping the side finish third in his first season with 17 goals. In the 1987–88 campaign another penalty shootout loss befell, now in the UEFA Cup against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. He retired the following year at the age of 36, having gained three caps for the Spanish football team – his debut came on 21 December 1978 in a 0–1 friendly loss with Italy, in Rome.

Coaching career

Alonso started his manager career as assistant to former Barcelona teammate Víctor Muñoz, at RCD Mallorca. He then coached the autonomous team of Catalonia for several years, while also working as a television pundit for Televisió de Catalunya.

In 2006, Alonso had a brief manager spell at Ukraine's FC Metalurh Donetsk.

Honours

Barcelona

• La Liga: 1984–85
• Copa del Rey: 1982–83
• Supercopa de España: 1983
• Copa de la Liga: 1982–83, 1985–86
• European Cup: Runner-up 1985–86

Español

• UEFA Cup: Runner-up 1987–88

External links

• Pichi Alonso profile at BDFutbol
• Pichi Alonso manager profile at BDFutbol
• National team data (Spanish)
• Pichi Alonso at National-Football-Teams.com