Augusto César Lendoiro took over in 1988 and was the president who oversaw Dépor’s glory years, but it was also under his direction that the club accumulated debts that until 2013 totaled more than €160 million. The directors insisted that Lendoiro surrender or the members would face insolvency. He did, but the financial burden remained.
In 2020, the Spanish cabinet Abanca became the majority shareholder of the club. This summer, when Abanca director Juan Carlos Escotet also became club president, Deportivo announced that they were, of course, separated from the debt, 24 years ahead of schedule.
The club also announced a strategic plan based on the pillars of financial consolidation, the benefit of the academy, innovation and infrastructure and “love for this city and its values.”
Benassi says the goal is to be “competitive in the present, but also ensure long-term success and viability.” There may be work to do – Deportivo will sit 19th in the 22-team second division over the next 11 games – but they won’t slip by the wayside.
The club is working with Populous, architects of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, to build a modern, unused training center, as well as renovating the complex for the women’s team.
The interest may largely lie in discovering and fostering the most productive skills of young people in the segment, participating in local schools and academies.
“It is fundamental for us,” says Benassi. “At the moment, almost 25% of the first team players come from our youth academy.”
Benassi hopes that the amenities and support that Dépor can provide will help the club retain its best possible young players. The Riazor, his house by the sea, is on a list of possible stadiums for the 2030 Spanish International Cup.
But there could also be the appeal of “sportsmanship.”
“From a young age, children learn that Dépor is more than just a club,” he explains. “It’s a philosophy, it’s a family.
“They are born from it. That is why we do not want to lose the relationship with the city, the values of the city, because if we preserve that, we are sure that all the players here and the quarry will at all times love Dépor.”
