Pichi Alonso

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Pichi Alonso

| image =

| fullname = Àngel Alonso Herrera

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|12|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Benicarló, Spain

| height = 1.78 m

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Benicarló

| years1 = 1975–1977 | clubs1 = Castellón | caps1 = 57 | goals1 = 20

| years2 = 1977–1982 | clubs2 = Zaragoza | caps2 = 159 | goals2 = 92

| years3 = 1982–1986 | clubs3 = Barcelona | caps3 = 51 | goals3 = 12

| years4 = 1986–1989 | clubs4 = Español | caps4 = 79 | goals4 = 25

| totalcaps = 346 | totalgoals = 149

| nationalyears1 = 1979 | nationalteam1 = Spain U23 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 1981 | nationalteam2 = Spain B | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 2

| nationalyears3 = 1978–1980 | nationalteam3 = Spain | nationalcaps3 = 3 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1992–1993 | managerclubs1 = Figueres

| manageryears2 = 1995–2005 | managerclubs2 = Catalonia

| manageryears3 = 2006 | managerclubs3 = Metalurh Donetsk

}}

Àngel "Pichi" Alonso Herrera (born 17 December 1954) is a Spanish former professional football striker and manager.

A player with a prolific scoring rate, though he never won the Pichichi Trophy, he represented, amongst others, both Barcelona major clubs during his career. He amassed La Liga totals of 261 games and 107 goals over 11 seasons, and won four titles with FC Barcelona.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7352959.stm|title=When Bryan Robson tamed Barca|publisher=BBC Sport|first1=Jonathan|last1=Stevenson|first2=Chris|last2=Bevan|date=22 April 2008|access-date=24 April 2014}}

Playing career

Born in Benicarló, Castellón, Valencian Community, Alonso made his professional debut with local club CD Castellón in the Segunda División, in 1975.{{cite web|url=https://golsmedia.com/sin-categoria/2017/02/24/municipal-benicarlo-por-fin-llevara-nombre-angel-pichi-alonso/|title=El Municipal de Benicarló por fin llevará el nombre de Ángel 'Pichi' Alonso|trans-title=Municipal de Benicarló to be finally named after Ángel 'Pichi' Alonso|publisher=Golsmedia|first=Jorge|last=Sastriques|language=es|date=24 February 2017|access-date=29 May 2023}} He signed for Real Zaragoza two years later, playing 33 La Liga matches in every season he remained there and never netting less than 15 goals;{{cite news|url=http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/noticias/deportes/angel-pichi-alonso-al-verme-arsenio-dijo-este-es-delantero-han-fichado_927977.html|title=Ángel 'Pichi' Alonso: "Al verme Arsenio dijo, ¿éste es el delantero que me han fichado?"|trans-title=Ángel 'Pichi' Alonso: "When Arsenio saw me he said, is this the forward they have signed me?"|newspaper=El Periódico de Aragón|first=Raquel|last=Machín|language=es|date=17 March 2014|access-date=13 December 2017}} in his debut campaign, he scored five in an 8–1 rout of RCD Español.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1979/02/26/pagina-6/1042999/pdf.html|title=8–1: Debacle españolista en Zaragoza|trans-title=8–1: Españolista debacle in Zaragoza|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Xavié|last=Ventura|language=es|date=26 February 1979|access-date=24 April 2014}}

For the 1982–83 campaign, Alonso moved to FC Barcelona, being used frequently 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 semi-finals, allowing the Catalans to reach the final of the competition against FC Steaua București in Seville,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD02/PUB/2006/12/01/EMD20061201011MDP.pdf|title=La noche mágica de Pichi Alonso|trans-title=Pichi Alonso's magical night|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Oriol|last=Domènech|language=es|date=1 December 2006|access-date=3 May 2016}} 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 Helmut Duckadam.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=412523.html|title=Duckadam inspires Steaua|publisher=UEFA|date=18 April 2006|access-date=25 March 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004233838/http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=412523.html|archive-date=4 October 2013}}

Alonso regained his scoring prowess at Barça neighbours Espanyol, helping the side to finish third in his first season with 17 goals.{{cite web|url=https://www.lagradaonline.com/primer-equipo/espanyol-goleador-segundo-historia-50-51|title=El segundo Espanyol más goleador de la historia|trans-title=Espanyol with the second-most goals in history|publisher=La Grada|first=Jordi|last=Luengo|language=es|date=20 June 2021|access-date=29 May 2023}} In 1987–88 another penalty shootout defeat occurred, now in the UEFA Cup against Bayer 04 Leverkusen.{{cite web|url=http://hallofameperico.wordpress.com/category/hall-of-famers-del-rcde/pichi-alonso/|title=Ángel "PICHI" Alonso|publisher=Hall of Fame Perico|language=es|date=1 May 2009|access-date=24 April 2014}} He retired the following year at the age of 35, having won three caps for the Spain national team – his debut came on 21 December 1978 in a 1–0 friendly loss with Italy, in Rome.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1978/12/22/MD19781222-003.pdf|title=1–0: Los jóvenes "Kubala-Boys" vendieron cara su piel|trans-title=1–0: Young "Kubala-Boys" made opposition sweat it out|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Javier|last=Díez Serrat|language=es|date=22 December 1978|access-date=3 May 2016}}

Coaching career

Alonso started his manager career as assistant to his former Barcelona teammate Víctor Muñoz at RCD Mallorca.{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1997/04/22/deportes/861660011_850215.html|title=El Mallorca líder de Segunda, despide a su entrenador|trans-title=Segunda leaders Mallorca sack their manager|newspaper=El País|first=Patricio|last=Candia|language=es|date=22 April 1997|access-date=29 May 2023}} He then coached the autonomous team of Catalonia for several years,{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2001/12/24/mas_futbol/1009148420_850215.html|title=Alonso busca recambios para Tamudo, Gerard y Rubén Navarro|trans-title=Alonso looks for replacements for Tamudo, Gerard and Rubén Navarro|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es|date=24 December 2001|access-date=13 December 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/deportes/20041223/51262802408/pichi-alonso-presenta-una-convocatoria-plagada-de-novedades.html|title=Pichi Alonso presenta una convocatoria plagada de novedades|trans-title=Pichi Alonso presents selection with novelties aplenty|newspaper=La Vanguardia|language=es|date=23 December 2004|access-date=13 December 2017}} while also working as a pundit for Televisió de Catalunya.{{cite news|url=http://www.elperiodico.com/es/deportes/20151228/entrenadores-comentaristas-television-futbol-4781386|title=De comentaristas a entrenadores|trans-title=From commentators to managers|newspaper=El Periódico de Catalunya|first=Christian|last=Martínez|language=es|date=28 December 2015|access-date=13 December 2017}}

In 2006, Alonso had a brief managerial spell at Ukraine's FC Metalurh Donetsk.{{cite web|url=http://www.ccma.cat/esport3/pichi-alonso-es-el-nou-entrenador-del-metalurg-de-donetsk-ucraines/noticia/125462/|title=Pichi Alonso és el nou entrenador del Metalurg de Donetsk ucraïnès|trans-title=Pichi Alonso is the new manager of Ukraine's Metalurg Donetsk|publisher=Televisió de Catalunya|language=ca|date=24 May 2006|access-date=13 December 2017}}

Honours

Zaragoza

Segunda División: 1977–78{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/deportes/futbol/real-zaragoza/2016/04/23/aquel-ascenso-del-dia-san-jorge-1978-844537-611027.html|title=Aquel ascenso del Real Zaragoza el Día de San Jorge de 1978...|trans-title=That Real Zaragoza promotion on Saint George's Day in 1978...|newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón|first=Paco|last=Giménez|language=es|date=23 April 2016|access-date=25 March 2020}}

Barcelona

La Liga: 1984–85{{cite web|url=https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/1229150/pichi-alonso-jugar-en-el-barca-es-la-culminacion-de-un-sueno-que-piensas-que-nunca-llegara|title=Pichi Alonso: "Jugar en el Barça es la culminación de un sueño que piensas que nunca llegará"|trans-title=Pichi Alonso: "To play for Barça is a dream come true that you think will never be"|publisher=FC Barcelona|language=es|date=10 November 2017|access-date=29 May 2023}}
Copa del Rey: 1982–83
Supercopa de España: 1983
Copa de la Liga: 1983
European Cup runner-up: 1985–86