Social and Sports Club Concepción

The Concepción Social and Sports Club is a Chilean sports institution based in the city of Concepción in the Biobío Region and is in the Second Professional Division of Chile.

It was founded on April 15, 1966 and regularly hosts the Estadio Municipal Alcaldesa Ester Roa Rebolledo, a venue located in the same city, with a capacity of approximately 33,000 spectators. Its classic rivals are Fernández Vial (with whom the Clásico Penquista is formed), Huachipato, Lota Schwager, Naval and Universidad de Concepción.

History

The Beginnings

Its foundation began on January 25, 1966, as a result of the merger of several soccer clubs from the city of Concepción (Galvarino, Liverpool, Juvenil Unido and Santa Fe), which, giving up a brilliant and long sports history, merged to make the ambitious project of having a team representative of the Biobío basin a reality in the Chilean football concert. These clubs were joined by the sporting and financial support of the prestigious Lord Cochrane, a club from day one, and even before, during a failed attempt in 1965, he committed to the idea of incorporating a new club into rented football. The club was born as Deportes Concepción Unido, and was accepted into the Second Division on April 15, 1966, the date that would be adopted mistakenly as an anniversary, being confused with a non-existent formation of a first board of directors. The appellation of "United" it was dropped from the team name on March 2, 1968.

After a first-class debut, achieving a historic 1-1 draw with the Soviet Union team at the Municipal de Concepción, Deportes Concepción entered the Second Division of Chile in 1966, obtaining thirteenth place among 16 teams. This difficult start was quickly forgotten after obtaining the National Second Division Championship of Chile in 1967. With an 81% performance in the official tournament, the goalscoring contribution of Rubén Acuña and the consecration of the idol Haroldo Peña, the León de Collao; the title gave the lilacs the right to debut in the division of honor in 1968.

Consolidation in the First Division

Led by the experienced Argentinians Oscar Coll and Marcelo Pagani, the new purple team surprised by winning the Provincial Tournament in 1968, an achievement that would revalidate in 1970, supported by the impressive scoring record of Osvaldo & #34;Blessed Paw" Castro, scorer of said championship, and in a generous quarry that was beginning to bear fruit. That same season, as Provincial champion, the cast won the Francisco Candelori Cup after defeating the Metropolitan Champion Unión Española by an aggregate score of 1-0, becoming the first and only title for the purple team in the First Division.

In 1971, the club signed Argentine striker Andrés Quetglás, who later went through Rangers de Talca and Spanish soccer, although the club continued its good campaigns in the First Division. 2 years later, the penquistas also signed another Argentine: goalkeeper Osmar Miguelucci, who played for the Argentine national team, at the 1963 Pan American Games in São Paulo, where his team won the silver medal.

The institutional solidity of Deportes Concepción, which undertook the construction of its Sports Fields in Nonguén under the presidency of Vittorio Yaconi, also translated into good campaigns. Local players such as Mario Osbén, Rolando García, Julián Urrizola, Gustavo Viveros and Francisco Pinochet, symbols of the club and key figures of the first squads, stood out. Subsequently, another important group of good players trained at home would break into the first team, such as René Serrano, René Valenzuela, and Luis Isla, three selected youth Chileans who participated in the 1975 Copa América.

These campaigns were accompanied by extensive international tours, which took the team to southern Argentina, Haiti and Europe during 1972 and 1973. On the European tours they faced the likes of Real Zaragoza and Rayo Vallecano.

In 1975 the team carried out its best campaign -in the regular season- of the First Division of Chile to date, finishing second, two points behind the champion Unión Española, whom it would pursue throughout the year. Mainstays this season were the aforementioned Osbén, Isla and Valenzuela, added to Fernando Cavalleri, Raúl Briones and the club's all-time goalscorer, Víctor Estay. The excellent track record during the year gave Deportes Concepción the status of runner-up in the contest.

In 1977 and under the command of Nelson Oyarzún, Deportes Concepción decided to innovate in the conformation of its squad by signing three German players: Ralf Berger, Hans Lamour and Hans-Joachim Schellberg. The experiment does not meet expectations and Oyarzún left the technical direction, but it remained a remembered experience. In the following years, the club would lose prominence in the search for championships, although maintaining the habit of good campaigns, led by the returned Fernando Cavalleri and highlighting the arrivals of symbols such as Daniel Montilla and Jorge Américo Spedaletti, plus the promotion of young people. figures such as Luis "Pelé" Araya or Danilo Figueroa.

Relegation to Second Division and Return

However, and occupying 14th place among 16 participating teams, Deportes Concepción was relegated to the Second Division of Chile for the first time in 1981.

The team spends three years in the lower category. Difficult seasons bearing in mind the national economic crisis and deficient internal administration, factors that severely affected the club, leading it to a level of indebtedness that would mark its future and trigger the institutional change from its initial form as a Social Club to a Football Corporation, in 1984. In the sporting aspect, after a good and hard-fought campaign in 1984 that was led by a team that was made to maintain the category, Deportes Concepción managed to achieve the long-awaited promotion and return to the First Division, thanks to a remembered and laborious victory over Deportes Laja at the Estadio Municipal de Concepción, on the last day of the championship and a full stadium, with a goal converted from the penalty spot by Charles Reyes in the last minute of the game. With said goal, at the same time, the Deportes Laja team returned to the Third Division of Chile.

During the five years that followed, Deportes Concepción stood out for the incessant emergence of talents from the youth academy, in addition to receiving young promises from the capital's teams on loan, such as Víctor Hugo Castañeda and Eduardo Gino Cofré. The arrival of the goalkeeper Nicolás Villamil in 1988, added to the consolidation of Miguel Ardiman, Marcelo Miranda Díaz, Juan Cruz and the cadets who will debut in the descent and will forge themselves in the second category, all under the baton of the sports project under the command of the now coach Fernando Cavalleri, would lead Concepción to form a competitive squad for the year 1990.

The First International Tournament

Thanks to the explosive goalscoring contribution of Juan Carlos Almada and after five appearances in the Pre-Libertadores Liguilla, Deportes Concepción managed to classify the 1990 mini-tournament as the winner of one of the "sections" in which the championship of that year was divided. The league was played entirely in Santiago, and the team was led on the occasion by Luis Vera, who had replaced the resigned Fernando Cavalleri.

After a categorical 0-4 defeat against Universidad Católica in the first double round, the lilacs recovered by defeating O'Higgins 3-0 and Unión Española 2-0. The last game of the mini-tournament, which was played at the National Stadium between Universidad Católica and O'Higgins, was the decisive one in determining who would be Colo-Colo's companion in the Copa Libertadores de América. The final draw 2-2 ended up surprisingly classifying Deportes Concepción, which thus agreed to its first international tournament. The victory in the league meant that the lilacs, formally, became Chilean runners-up in the 1990 season, and accompanied Colo-Colo in the 1991 Copa Libertadores de América.

Already in the continental tournament, the team managed to access the second phase, thanks to their home wins over Liga de Quito (3-0) and Barcelona S.C. (1-0), both Ecuadorian teams and two draws: one, at home, against the tournament champion, his compatriot Colo-Colo (0-0) and another, as a visitor, against Barcelona S.C. (2-2). In the second round, the lilacs faced América de Cali in a Concepción Municipal Stadium submerged in thick fog, losing 3-0. In the rematch, playing in San Cristóbal, Venezuela, they win a 3-3 draw, which leaves them out of the competition anyway.

The base of this team was made up of historical players such as the aforementioned Juan Carlos Almada, Miguel Ardiman, Marcelo Miranda and Nicolás Villamil, plus the contribution of Héctor Adomaitis, Héctor Correa, Danilo Figueroa, Óscar Lee-Chong, Héctor "Tito" Francino, José Pérez, Luis Carrasco, Oscar "Negro" Lepe, Juan Cruz among others.

The 1990s

The good performance at the national and international level was diminished with the disintegration of the squad that was formed for that purpose. A new decline occurs in 1993, after the worst campaign in the club's history, with just 3 wins in the 30 games played in the season, and finishing last among 16 teams. The club's board of directors decided to put together a squad to return to the First Division, again under the command of Fernando Cavalleri, which was effectively achieved the following year and brought the second Chilean Second Division title for the club, after an impeccable campaign. where Antonio Zaracho, the forwards Blas Romero and Florencio Villalba and the young youth squad player of the club, Mauricio Pozo, will stand out. The championship was achieved on the penultimate day of the tournament, thanks to a 5-0 win over Unión San Felipe.

The new stage in the First Division is part of the economic bubble that Chilean soccer experienced at that time, the end of which would have very serious consequences for the team in the following decade. Level figures would appear in this second period under the command of Cavalleri, highlighting the Argentines José Horacio Lugo and Christian Trapasso, the Chilean striker Juan Carreño López, the Venezuelan Dioni Guerra and the Honduran Wilmer Velásquez. The new coach Óscar del Solar would lead the club to carry out the remarkable 1998 campaign, where the purples obtained 5th overall place, accessing the Copa Libertadores Liguilla (where they were eliminated in the first phase by the University of Chile)..

The aforementioned campaign led the purples to a new international tournament, the 1999 Conmebol Cup, a participation that became the best for a Chilean team along with that of Universidad de Chile in this ephemeral championship, and the last international semifinal of a national team, until the participation of Universidad Católica in the 2005 Copa Sudamericana. In the aforementioned tournament, the lilacs eliminated the Argentines from Rosario Central and fell in the semifinals against the future champion, the also Argentines from Talleres de Córdoba.

However, behind the success at the international level, an economic crisis of enormous proportions was hidden for the club, generated by the deficient administration and the high level of indebtedness in the search to overcome the 1998 campaign. The signing of Pedro González Pierella and his subsequent failure, would have repercussions along with other factors in the year 2000, where a lineage squad was put together but with a poor economic base. With unpaid salaries, the lilac players led by Oscar Garré managed despite everything to qualify for the Pre-Libertadores 2000 Liguilla, where in addition to risking qualification, they were at stake for the immediate future of the club, threatened by recess and bankruptcy.

For the Second Time to the Copa Libertadores de América

The mini-tournament was played in single matches with direct elimination and on a neutral court. The lilacs eliminated Audax Italiano 1-0 with a golden goal in extra time and then played a memorable final with the Universidad Católica. Concepción led 2-0 until 30 minutes into the second half, with two goals from Mauricio Pozo, when the Crusaders managed to tie the game. After 8 minutes of the first extra time, Luis Chavarría scored a legendary header, which left the lilacs for the second time in the Copa Libertadores de América.

This victory allowed the lilacs to accompany the champion Universidad de Chile and Cobreloa in the 2001 Copa Libertadores. In the first round, after a hesitant start that triggered the early departure of coach Sergio Nichiporuk and the second return of Fernando Cavalleri, the The purples tied at home against Nacional (0-0) and managed to defeat the Argentine champion San Lorenzo de Almagro (3-2), then led by the Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, in a vibrant match that would end with incidents. In the final match of the group, the lilacs beat Jorge Wilstermann 3-0, accessing the second phase in this last game with a goal from Marco Bautista's header in the 88th minute, thanks to the 1-1 draw between Nacional and San Lorenzo de Almagro, which was played simultaneously.

In the second round, Deportes Concepción was eliminated by the Brazilians Vasco da Gama, losing 1-3 at the Municipal Stadium of Concepción and 0-1 in Rio de Janeiro against the team led by Romário and Juninho Paulista.

The squad that achieved this historic campaign had the participation of figures such as Carlos Navarro Montoya, Diego Soñora, Juan Carlos Ibáñez and Cristian Montecinos, seconded by the base of the team that would end up playing at a superlative level: Jorge Torres Vega, Marco Bautista, Mauro Donoso, Darwin Pérez, Patricio Almendra, Carlos Verdugo and the Brazilian Marcos Paulista, among others.

The New Century

Participation in the Copa Libertadores made it possible to avoid the specter of the immediate recess, but it failed to eliminate the longstanding debts that had afflicted the club since the 1980s. and that worsened in 1999. Without the possibility of reinforcing the team, saving it from relegation was entrusted to the group of youth players who won the national under-20 championship in 2000, but who would not reach their goal in the senior team in 2002. Led by its youth coach, Carlos González, Deportes Concepción would be relegated to the Second Division.

The 2003 season in the Chilean Primera B was forgettable, obtaining a 5th place that was left without any promotion option. In 2004, Deportes Concepción sought promotion in a championship with countless phases and stages. They won the first round, zonal, with 27 points, while in the second stage they finished 2nd behind Naval, totaling 47 points. In the final hexagonal, the purples suffered to achieve the long-awaited promotion, and finished in 2nd place behind the champion Deportes Melipilla, with 4 games won, 3 tied and 3 lost. The team led by Óscar del Solar sealed their return to the Chilean First Division after a 1-1 draw against O'Higgins in Rancagua, which allowed them to beat Unión La Calera on goal difference.

Despite the financial difficulties, the purples had a good 2005 season, in which the team finished 4th in the general table of the year, with Cristián Montecinos as the top scorer in the Clausura 2005, with 13 units.

The Age of Car Dealerships

However, due to financial problems, the ANFP decides to impose a one-year ban on Deportes Concepción during 2006, a season in which the team does not participate in the championships of this federation, although its affiliate is accepted in the Third Division From Chile. During this year, the leadership tries, in various ways, to gather the necessary funds to pay these obligations and return the team to professional football, establishing the sports limited company as a new way of operating the club from November 2006. After After long disputes with the ANFP, its Patrimonial Court decided the return of the team to the First Division of Chile during the 2007 championship.

New Administration

During the 2007 Apertura, Concepción finished in fifteenth place out of 21 teams. The team overcame a bad start to the tournament (which led to the resignation of coach Jaime Nova) and, under the direction of Fernando Cavalleri, managed to win a number of important games to ensure their permanence in the Chilean First Division.

In June of that year, the sale of the club to a group of German investors represented by the Penquista lawyer Mario Munzenmayer was announced. The agreement considered the sale of 90 percent of the institution to the economic group, during the next 30 years, renewable for a similar period. The other 10 percent remained in the hands of the old leadership, which also has the right to choose two members of the new board of directors. The transaction had a value of approximately $1,000 million, of which 650 will be used to pay social liabilities, and 350 will be used to improve the sports venues owned by the institution. The concession of active assets and federative rights of Deportes Concepción with the real estate company created by the new investors, and named León de Collao S.A., was signed in August 2007, making Deportes Concepción the second Chilean club, after Colo-Colo, to operate under this administrative modality. The new sports project for the institution aimed at "recovering the regional identity from sports practice", with planned investments in real estate, which could lead to the construction of a multi-sports stadium for 2011.

The campaign in the Clausura 2007 places them in 11th place in the general table, without gaining access to the play-offs, and with an extremely irregular campaign, which even led to their resignation coach Fernando Cavalleri.

The managerial uncertainty continued towards the end of the year and the beginning of 2008, since the money promised by the German investors did not reach the hands of the concessionaire, and the interest of the historical leaders appears to seek new investors to guarantee continuity of business and the operation of the club in the following years. The problem seems to be solved, at least momentarily, with the arrival of part of the promised resources, during January 2008, although the first dates of the 2008 Opening had to be played without the new coach Jorge Garcés or reinforcements, due to failure to pay the settlements of the previous year.

Dealership Problems

Administrative problems occurred without interruption during 2008 at Deportes Concepción. The non-registration of foreign players even led to threats of disaffiliation. The bar and the fans participated in massive marches through the center of the city demanding a way out of the deep crisis, through demonstrations in front of the offices of the concessionaire and the lawyer Mario Münzenmayer, who acts as its president. The threats were partially diluted when, through financial management by the concessionaire, it was possible to agree on the payment of the settlements owed. With this, the new team was able to debut and begin a more than remarkable campaign on the pitch. However, the delays in the payment of salaries for January and the remaining debts with the team of players and the administrative team of the club, have the team in constant threat. A claim by Santiago Morning regarding erroneous player registrations during the first dates, meant the subtraction of 9 points for the team, which would practically condemn it to dispute the relegation places. A second ruling by the ANFP court would deduct 3 more points for not having proven full payment of the payroll for the month of February. For its part, the sports limited company took legal action to prevent the concessionaire from continuing to damage the club finances through the sale of assets.

On the other hand, the numerous judicial conflicts of the leader Marcos Ulloa, director of the concessionaire, are reported by the press at this time, and the rumors of the non-existence of the expected German resources are becoming stronger and stronger. Along with this, the existence of possible new investors, the "self-dismissals" Consecutive matches of coach Jorge Garcés and players Leonardo Díaz and Gabriel Marra, after episodes of bad checks, ended up composing the managerial chaos that had plunged Deportes Concepción into one of the worst crises in its history, once again originating outside the soccer field, while inside the field, and paradoxically, the team carried out a meritorious campaign that kept it in the first places of the Apertura 2008 table. Garcés moved away from the institution permanently in May 2008, when signed to be the new coach of Unión Española.

After the Council of Club Presidents of the ANFP, held on May 23, the critical state of the club became evident. The ANFP Economic Management Control Commission recommended punishing the team, preventing its participation in the Clausura 2008 and decreeing its automatic relegation to First B of Chile, even if this meant holding a championship with 19 teams. Faced with this harsh scenario, the Sociedad anónima deportiva agreed with the concessionaire the end of its administration of the club, arguing the lack of resources available for this purpose.

Suspension and Automatic Lowering

With 12 points less in the championship, without a coach and with a massive flight of players, Deportes Concepción received, for the second time, one of the harshest punishments in its history: the club was prevented from participating in the Clausura 2008, and was directly relegated to Primera B de Chile. The decision was made by the ANFP after considering that the club could not accredit financing for the 2008 budget. In addition, the ruling specified that if the club began to play before the resolution definitively, the points obtained in these matches would be annulled. After the appeal, and with the tournament already started, the ruling was ratified and Deportes Concepción had to settle for playing in the First B of Chile during the 2009 season. The club continued to compete normally in Association championships, although the adult team was also excluded from the 2008-09 Copa Chile.

Return and Search for Support

The former goalkeeper of the club Antonio Zaracho had assumed the technical direction of the team with a view to the Clausura 2008, with a squad drastically reduced in players and budget, assuming the innumerable debts left by the failed concessionaire. The suspension did not allow this team to compete and, during the second part of the year, they kept playing some friendly commitments, such as against Nacional, Huachipato and Rangers, with meager financial results. Only a friendly managed with Iván Zamorano in futsal format played at the Concepción Municipal Gymnasium, made it possible to leave some profit to pay off the club's debts.

The work focuses on the search for managerial and economic support to face the competition of Primera B de Chile in 2009 in a good way, and it has been hampered, according to the leaders, by the terrible image and large debts that the management of León de Collao S.A. left about the club.

In February 2009, he was accepted to participate in the Chilean Primera B, participating with the technical direction of Antonio Zaracho and later, Fernando Cavalleri, who took over the team again, fulfilling the objective of maintaining the category that year.

Strength, Claw and Heart S.A.D.P.

On January 15, 2010, through a press release published on the club's website, the management announced the signing of a new concession contract, "which extends for the next 30 years of sports and financial administration of the club" to a new concessionary company, called Fuerza, Garra y Corazón S.A., and formed, among others, by the former general manager of O'Higgins, Nibaldo Jaque, and the soccer player businessman Pablo Tallarico.

During 2010, his irregular campaign in the First B of Chile did not allow him to dispute promotion or promotion places. The irregularity was confirmed by the fact that the team had three technicians during the year (Fernando Cavalleri and Daniel Salvador during the Zonal Phase, Óscar del Solar for the Final Phase). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Deportes Concepción achieved an excellent performance in the Copa Chile Bicentenario, reaching the final after eliminating three of its classic rivals (Fernández Vial, Universidad de Concepción and Huachipato), as well as Unión La Calera and Palestino in the previous rounds. In the decisive match, played at the Estadio Bicentenario Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso in Coquimbo, with nearly 2,000 lilac fans in the stands, Deportes Concepción drew 1–1 with the current Chilean Primera B champion, Municipal Iquique, to later fall in the definition to penalties by 4-3. The goalkeeper Luis de Agustini, Alexis Salazar and Patricio Almendra stood out in this campaign.

During 2011, the club participated in the so-called Match for Chile 3 for the 2011 Copa Sudamericana, an instance in which it faced the champion of the 2011 Apertura Tournament, Universidad de Chile, to settle the third Chilean place in this tournament. In the first leg, played at the Estadio Municipal Alcaldesa Ester Roa, Deportes Concepción gave up a 2-2 draw, after finding themselves in a 2-0 win before fifteen minutes into the second half. In the second leg, the blue team, which In the end, he would become champion of the 2011 Copa Sudamericana, triumphing 2-0 at the National Stadium. In the end, the most salvageable fact of the season was the achievement of the scorer Emanuel Herrera, who with 29 goals scored in the year became the scorer of the official Tournament of that year, since the team led by Óscar del Solar and Jorge Garcés He was left out of any promotion option through the championship system, even if they finished third in the annual table.

In the following years, the team would combine an apparent economic tranquility, reflected in the renovation of the Ricardo Keller Sports Fields (now CDN) and some acceptable campaigns, but without much success, directed in 2012 by the Argentine coach Germán Corengia. During the first part of the Primera B tournament, the team managed to stay at the top of the table for several days, until a series of adverse results at the end left it out of the fight for the title, which San Marcos won. from Arica precisely in Collao. In the Clausura 2012, in the midst of permanent rumors of a change of coach due to sporting irregularities and various acts of indiscipline recorded off the field, history repeats itself. Although the team arrives with remote promotion options to the last date, again against San Marcos, the defeat leaves them in fifth annual place, without opportunities to return to the First Division. The 2012 Copa Chile campaign was not positive either: although classic rival Fernández Vial was eliminated in the Preliminary Round after a 4–0 win in the second leg, the fans resented the 0–1 defeat suffered in the second leg. first leg. Already in the group stage, the performance is negative and the team finishes in last place in Group 2, with a 0–5 win against Huachipato included. Beyond the positive campaign carried out by the pillars of the team, Carlos Kletnicki and Carlos Salom, the performance during the year leaves much to be desired, and since none of the sporting objectives were met, it was decided not to renew the contract of coach Germán Corengia.

His replacement for the 2013 season is the Argentine coach Roberto Mariani, who also did not achieve the goals in the 2013 Transition tournament. The Argentine led the team for seven games, with a weak campaign of two wins, three draws and two defeats, and he is replaced for the last five games by Víctor Merello. The new coach achieves a slight increase in performance, with two wins, two draws and one loss, but again it is not enough for him to dispute promotion. At the end of May 2013, the leadership confirmed Merello as the team's technical director for the 2013-2014 season. In the first stage of the 2013-14 tournament, Merello obtained poor results, which led the leadership to change coaches. after the first seven games. On this occasion, the former purple figure and already retired player Patricio Almendra, who took over as coach during the last week of September 2013, is appointed in his position. After the 2013-14 season, the team led by Almendra ended in the 9th position among 14 teams, with a 41.2% performance and again without the possibility of disputing the long-awaited promotion.

Exile, Crisis and Disaffiliation

At the start of the 2014-15 season, the Argentine Fernando Quiroz took command of the team. is under repair for use in the 2015 Copa América and the 2015 U-17 World Cup. In this scenario, Concepción plays at home in seven stadiums, during 52 games and in a period that lasted 910 days, mostly in the Municipal Stadium of Hualpén, field used by amateur teams and which had to be conditioned for use in professional soccer.

Quiroz's campaign is not good and he resigns from the team's bench after 12 dates, and after an offer received from an Argentine club. Shortly after this event, a fire broke out in the sports field facilities de Nonguén. In this instance, the dressing rooms of the first team, the offices of the coaching staff, the clinic and a restaurant managed by the concessionaire were burned.

After the departure of the Argentine Quiroz, and two interim dates for Antonio Zaracho, the former soccer player Juan José Ribera takes the bench, who leads the team during the last five games of 2014, and from 2015.

The 2015-2016 season has a disastrous start for the team, which fails to advance to the second round of the 2015 Copa Chile (it finished third in its group, beating Ñublense, but surpassed by Huachipato and Colo-Colo) and that begins its participation in the official tournament with just one win and five draws in the first nine games. This campaign costs the coach Ribera his job, who is replaced on date 11 by Ariel Pereyra, former player and coach of Unión La Calera, who would lead the team led by youth squad player Juan Leiva and the experienced Gamadiel García to qualify for the league for the ascent

Although the management of Fuerza Garra y Corazón S.A.D.P. seemed calm, the exile and the fire brought to light the high level of nominal indebtedness of the club, used as a front for the granting of a series of loans from the ANFP and some banks and that did not have Deportes Concepción as the real recipient. The administration of Adolfo Sabando, Nibaldo Jaque, Pablo Tallarico and Luis Polnoroff was even linked to the financial scandal led by the former president of the Association, Sergio Jadue.

The brutal economic crisis and the abandonment of the leadership, which led the ANFP to assume the outstanding salaries of the players for the months of February and March, to avoid a paralysis of the professional championships, on April 26, 2016, the Council of Presidents of Clubs of the ANFP, in an extraordinary session, voted for the disaffiliation of the club in professional football.

In total, there were 38 votes in favor of disaffiliation and four abstentions: Colo Colo, Universidad de Chile, San Marcos de Arica and Barnechea (a team that was already relegated). Three votes were in favor of permanence: Deportes Concepción itself, Cobreloa and Santiago Morning. As a consequence of the disaffiliation, Penquistas were prohibited from participating both as members of the ANFP and at the youth soccer level.

The Resistance

In the above context, during 2016 a group of fans took on the challenge of reactivating the Social Club, the original institution of Deportes Concepción. On May 20, 2016, the list headed by Víctor Tornería is elected as the new board of directors, culminating the reactivation process, despite the recent disaffiliation of the club. The renewed social structure took command and judicial defense of the institution, keeping it active with multiple activities, highlighting a massive march through the city of Concepción and the return to the Municipal Stadium of Concepción with a match against Provincial Osorno, which brought together more than 18,000 people. Subsequently, Deportes Concepción organizes a friendly against their classic rival Lota Schwager, who were in the same situation, with the aim that both fans could see their respective teams back on the field. At the end of 2017, the team participated in the Hexagonal del Bío-Bío, being eliminated in the semifinals against República Independiente de Hualqui, who would be runners-up in the tournament, but with happy fans after seeing the team play a tournament again.

Debut in Third B

After applying to the fifth category of Chilean Soccer, he was accepted, managing to play the Third B of Chile 2018. In the First Phase he was matched in Group 3 with 11 more teams, Deportes Concepción finished in first place, with 48 points, advancing to the Second Phase remaining in the Third Group with 5 teams fighting for the first two places, finishing in third place with 16 Points but qualifying as the best third advancing to the Final Phase. Already in the quarterfinals he faces Rodelindo Román ending with a global victory of 2-3 reaching the semifinals. In the semifinals they face Ferroviarios in round-trip matches. On December 2, 2018, Deportes Concepción won 4-3 on aggregate and was promoted to Tercera División A 2019 and at the same time qualified for the Final of the Tournament. After drawing in the first leg with Deportivo Pilmahue in Villarrica, Los Lilas lost by a minimum in Concepción, finishing runners-up in the tournament.

Promotion to Third A and return to a Professional Tournament

After losing the Final of Third B 2018, Deportes Concepción managed to promote equal to Third A 2019 and was invited by the ANFP to participate in La Copa Chile 2019. On March 24, Deportes Concepción returns to professionalism and faces Santiago Wanderers in a match valid for Phase 1 of the Chile Cup, having, as a final result, a painful 4-1 win by the caturro cast, ending their participation in the tournament. On March 31, the Third A tournament began, debuting with a 2-1 victory against Ferroviarios. The lilacs manage to finish the tournament in second place, in the midst of the social crisis that the country is going through, qualifying for the playoffs and, therefore, with the possibility of ascending to the Second Division. And finally, after playing the league games on December 15, they defeated Deportes Limache 3-2 in a heart-stopping match valid for the last date with a full Ester Roa (28,000 people) managing to ascend to the second professional division consecutively.

Return to Professionalism

Disputing the promotion group of the Third Division A of Chile 2019 to look for the companion of Deportes Linares, champion of the category by finishing first in the regular phase, Deportes Concepción played for promotion on the last date of that group against to Sports Limache. After an intense match that was not without controversy, Deportes Concepción defeated Deportes Limache by 3 goals to 2 and returned to professionalism after almost 4 years where they will play the Second Professional Division of Chile 2020.

In the Second Division

After the promotion of 2019 and a 2020 with soccer frozen until mid-year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on September 16 the lilas debuted in the Second Professional Division, with a win against Colchagua 2-1. With the passing of the dates the team's performance was not the best, and after a string of draws and defeats that left the club in relegation positions, they condemned the coach Esteban González to force his departure of the team.

His position was taken by Christian Muñoz, who made his debut in charge of the team in a 1-1 loss against General Velásquez. The sporting situation did not improve and the team reached the last date, with the need to defeat their direct rival for relegation Deportes Vallenar. The match ended with a 0-2 defeat for Deportes Concepción, which sentenced their relegation to Third Division A, after being located in the penultimate place in the standings. However, on March 25, 2021, the Second Chamber of the Disciplinary Tribunal of the ANFP, ratified the loss of 3 points for Deportes Vallenar, due to the non-payment of salaries to four players, which decreed the relegation of the Vallenar team to the Third Division A and in parallel, the permanence of the team purple in professionalism.

For the 2021 season, the squad was renewed and the arrival of a new coaching staff led by Renato Ramos was made official. his similar Universidad de Concepción after defeating them at home 1-0 and eliminating them from the cup. In the Second Phase they would face each other again against Santiago Wanderers, a team that they beat in the first leg 0-1 and they would tie at home in the second leg 1-1, with an aggregate score of 2-1. Already in the round of 16, the Lilas would lose to Palestino by 4-0 in the first leg and a 0-4 return, with an aggregate of 0-8. Putting an end to their campaign in Copa Chile. In the 2021 Championship, the lilacs suffered again with the relegation, after poor results and fighting to get out of the last places, the lions changed DT in the middle of the season, taking over an old acquaintance Óscar del Solar. After a complicated and irregular campaign, Deportes Concepción ended up saving itself with a goal from Sepulveda on the last date after drawing with Deportes Valdivia 1-1, finishing in tenth position with 23 points. Thus closing a repeated story that leaves the fans unhappy, blaming the football mismanagement carried out by the board.

Nickname

The club owes its nickname "El León de Collao" the historic player Haroldo Peña, purple defender in the '60s and '70s, and symbol of Deportes Concepción, who also wore the shirts of Trasandino and Naval. On one occasion, the team played against the Universidad Técnica del Estado, for the Chilean Second Division tournament, and the coach of said team said: "if we lost it was because they had a lion and in the middle". The baptism was carried out by the journalist of the newspaper El Sur de Concepción, Luis García Díaz, nicknamed "El Maestro". The nickname was established as a tribute to the dedication and determination of the player. Since then, fans have identified themselves with this nickname and have become known by it, even adopting the lion as a symbol of the club.

Shield

The official shield of Deportes Concepción, until 1998, reproduced the insignia of the local Municipality, including the royal eagle of Carlos V, which identifies the city. The building shield was surrounded by lilac colors to incorporate the club's name into this design.

When, in 1998, it was decided to change the official insignia of the club, which replicated that of the local Municipality, accusing lack of support from the building institution, the emblem that reproduces the head of a lion (facing front) was chosen. on a white circular field, which, in its purple border, reproduces the name of the institution. Currently, that insignia is registered in the name of the previous board of directors of the club when it was a professional sports limited company, so when the institution returned as the original corporation, it used the golden eagle insignia again.

Uniform

Before finalizing the merger of clubs that gave rise to Deportes Concepción, the first uniform used by the local team was a shirt with green and white vertical stripes, paying homage in part to one of the clubs that participated in its foundation, Lord Cochrane. Later, it was changed to a blue shirt with yellow pants (since they are the colors of the city, its flag and shield), the uniform with which the famous game with River Plate was played, with which it was declared inaugurated. the current structure of the Municipal Stadium of Concepción. However, because said uniform was similar to that of the then representative of the University of Concepción, once the club was established the uniform became lilac, due to the traditional color of the Concepción sports teams.

Except for variations in the hue over the years and changes in the designs (which have incorporated bright white, red and even yellow depending on the sponsor and the season), the color of the shirt has remained constant since the foundation of the team. The colors of the pants have varied: on occasion, white pants have been used as part of the starting kit. The reserve kit has normally been white, except between 1999 and 2003, when an all-yellow kit was used for the only occasion backup. In previous seasons, a white jersey design with pants and a purple diagonal stripe was even used as a reserve uniform.

First

see evolution

Actual

Stadium

El Estadio Municipal Mayores Ester Roa Rebolledo en 2015.

The Municipal Stadium Mayor Ester Roa Rebolledo, is located in the city of Concepción, Chile, popularly known as Collao, but among the fans, it is known as La Leonera.

It was officially inaugurated on September 16, 1962 and the matches of the city's soccer clubs are played there, with Fernández Vial, Deportes Concepción and Universidad de Concepción (all of them without their own stadium) being home, with a current enabled capacity of 37,000 spectators, approximately, with dimensions of 105 x 68 m and a grass surface with an athletic track.

The venue is located in the city of Concepción in the rectangle formed by Avenida Ignacio Collao in the southern sector (behind the marker); Tegualda street (adjacent to the Andes Tribune); General Bonilla Avenue to the north and finally, the Reinforced Regiment No. 7 Chacabuco on the west side. The main access is Collao N° 525-575.

Club details

• Seasons in First Division of Chile: 34 (1968 - 1981; 1985 - 1993; 1995 - 2002; 2005; 2007 - 2008)
• Seasons in First B of Chile: 16 (1966 - 1967; 1982 - 1984; 1994; 2003 - 2004; 2009 - 2016)
• Seasons in Second Professional Division of Chile: 4 (2020 - Act.)
• Seasons in Third Division A of Chile: 1 (2019)
• Seasons in Third Division B of Chile: 1 (2018)
• Seasons in Regional Football Championship: 1 (2017)
• Participaciones en Copa Francisco Candelori: 1 (1970)
• Participations in Copa Chile: 30 (1974 - 1975; 1977; 1979 - 1981; 1985 - 1996; 1998; 2000; 2009 - 2015; 2019; 2021 - Act.)
• Participations in Winter Cup: 1 (1989)
• Participation in the Opening Championship of the Second Division of Chile: 3 (1982 - 1984)
• Participations in the Ernesto Alvear Cup: 1 (1983)
• Participation in Pre-Liberator Liguilla6 (1975; 1980; 1990 - 1991; 1998; 2000)
• Participation in Pre-South American Liguilla: 2 (2002 - 2003)
• Participations in Pre-South American Definition: 1 (2011)
• Participation in Pre-Liguilla Libertadores: 1 (1991)
• ANFP membership: 3 (2006, 2016 - 2017)
• International Tournaments:
  • Cup Winners (1): 1971 (No.)
  • Copa Libertadores de América (2): 1991, 2001
  • Conmebol Cup (1): 1999

• First Party in National Tournaments:
  • Sports Colchagua 1 - 0 Sports Conception (1966)
• First Party in Regional Tournaments:
  • Sports I took 1 - 0 Sports Conception (2017)
• First Party in International Tournaments:
  • Sports Conception 0 - 0 Colo-Colo (1991)
• Major Goleada Achieved:
  • In National Tournaments: 6-0 to Malleco Unida (1974), 7-1 to Santiago Morning (1976), 6-0 to Star of the Sea (2011)
  • In Regional Tournaments: 6-1 to Deportivo Santa Juana (2017)
  • In international tournaments: 3-0 to Quito League (1991) and Jorge Wilstermann (2001)
• Greatest goleada:
  • In National Tournaments: 0-7 to Universidad de Chile (1987)
  • In Regional Tournaments: 1-2 to Lota Schwager (2017)
  • In international tournaments: 0-4 before Quito League (1991)

• Historical Post First Division of Chile16o
• Historic Post First B of Chile: 27o
• Post Historic Second Professional Division of Chile: 33.o
• Historical Post Third Division A of Chile: 106.o
• Historical Post Third Division B of Chile: 89.o
• Post Historical Regional Football Championship: 32.o
• Post Historic Cup Francisco Candelori: 1o
• Historic Cup Chile: 12th
• Post Historical Winter Cup9o
• Post Historical Opening Championship of the Second Division of Chile: 36o
• Historic Cup Ernesto Alvear: 3o
• Historic Post Pre-Liberators / Ranking Pre-Liguilla Libertadores: 8o
• Post Historical Pre-South American Liguilla / Definition Pre-South American: 30o
• Post Historic Cup Winners: 13th (International), 2nd (National)
• Post Historical Copa Libertadores de América: 127.o (International), 12th (National)
• Historical Post Conmebol Cup: 40o (International), 3o (National)
• World Ranking of Clubs of the 21st Century: 952o
• South American Ranking of Clubs of the 21st Century: 144.o

• Maximum scorer in Regional Tournaments: Daniel Benavente (6 Goles)
• Maximum scorer in National Tournaments: Victor Estay (88 Goles)
• Maximum scorer in International Tournaments: Juan Carlos Almada (3 Goles)
• Maximum Dropper in Club History: Victor Estay (88 Goles)
• Player With More Players in National Tournaments: Rolando García (318 parties)
• Player With More Players in International Tournaments: Marco Bautista (11 Parties)
• Player With More Players in Club History: Luis Guajardo (319 Parties)

Historical Evolution Chart

Individual awards

First Division Scorers

• Osvaldo Castro: 36 (1970)
• Cristian Montecinos: 13 (Clausura 2005)

Second Division / First B Scorers

• Rubén Acuña: 21 (1966), 17 (1967)
• Emanuel Herrera: 11 (opening 2011), 16 (Clausura 2011), 27 (Annual 2011)
• Francisco Ibáñez: 8 (Clausura 2014)

Francisco Candelori Cup Scorers

• Oscar Abellán: 1 (1970)

Pre-Libertadores Liguilla Scorers

• Juan Carlos Almada: 3 (1990)
• Mauritius Pozo: 2 (2000)

Pre-South American Definition Scorers

• Emanuel Herrera: 2 (2011)

Footballer of the year in Chile

• Osvaldo Castro: 1970

Historical Goalscorers

This list shows the players who managed to score from 30 goals onwards.

Updated according to the last goal of a list player on May 14, 2022.

Player	Goles	Seasons
Victor Estay	88	1972-1978
Osvaldo Castro	65	1969-1971
Juan Carlos Almada	51	1990-1991; 1997
Fernando Cavalleri	50	1975; 1978-1980; 1982-1983
Luis Guajardo	48	1993-1999; 2003-2005; 2009
Ruben Acuña	43	1966-1969
Cristian Montecinos	42	1998; 2001; 2005; 2007
Patricio Almendra	39	2000-2001; 2004-2005; 2007-2010; 2012
Luis Araya	38	1980-1982; 1987-1989
Reynaldo Hoffmann	37	1972-1974
Gabriel Vargas	35	2001-2005; 2020-Act.
Eduardo Fabres	33	1970-1975
Mario Araya	33	1982-1985; 1988-1989
Danilo Figueroa	31	1980-1983; 1989-1995
David Godoy	30	1980-1984

Players

Squad 2023

Players			Technical equipment
N.o Nac. Pos. Name Age Ult team. Eq. training Porteros 1 CHI! 0BY Diego Matamala 20 years University of Concepción University of Concepción 12 CHI! 0BY Esteban Kirkman 20 years Everton Everton 25 COL! 0BY Brandon Obregón 23 years General Velásquez Sports Temuco 28 CHI! 0BY Bayron Herrera Inferiors Inferiors Defense 2 CHI! 1DEF Lautaro Rigazzi 25 years San Antonio United Godoy Cruz 3 CHI! 1DEF Diego Muñoz 25 years San Marcos de Arica Sports Valdivia 4 CHI! 1DEF Joaquín Roa 20 years Inferiors Inferiors 5 CHI! 1DEF Javier Sotomayor 21 years San Luis San Luis 15 CHI! 1DEF Javier Guzmán 28 years Independent of Cauquenes San Luis 17 CHI! 1DEF Claudio Fernández 22 years Huachipato Huachipato 20 CHI! 1DEF Diego Zambrano 25 years Iberia Iberia 22 CHI! 1DEF Rodrigo Padilla 25 years General Velásquez Colo-Colo PAR! 1DEF Jonathan Espínola 21 years Magellan Magellan Midfielders 6 CHI! 2MED Benjamin Vera 18 years Inferiors Inferiors 7 CHI! 2MED Mauro Lopes 26 years Sports Melipilla Magellan 10 CHI! 2MED Patricio Troncoso 31 years General Velásquez Copperloa 18 CHI! 2MED Eduardo Vilches 33 years Rangers Huachipato 19 CHI! 2MED Sebastián Torres 21 years Lota Schwager Huachipato 21 CHI! 2MED Francisco Tapia 22 years University of Concepción University of Concepción 24 CHI! 2MED Carlos Hormazábal 22 years San Luis San Luis 26 CHI! 2MED Francisco Lara 28 years Sports Melipilla Colo-Colo 29 CHI! 2MED Jorge Maureira 17 years Inferiors Inferiors CHI! 2MED Kevin Flores 28 years Sports The Serena Santiago Wanderers Delanteros 9 CHI! 3OF THE Jerhal Oliva 22 years Comunal Cabrero Birth CDSC 13 CHI! 3OF THE Jaime Caro 20 years Catholic University Catholic University 14 CHI! 3OF THE Matías Fredes 21 years Coppersal Coppersal 16 CHI! 3OF THE Cristian Valenzuela 24 years San Marcos de Arica Magellan 23 CHI! 3OF THE Gabriel Vargas 39 years Curicó Unida Inferiors 27 CHI! 3OF THE Ignacio Pinilla 27 years Iberia Union San Felipe PAR! 3OF THE Gustavo Guerreño 31 years Mushuc Runa Blonde Ñu			Coach(s) Christian Lovrincevich Assistant coach(s) Alejandro Gutiérrez Physical Preparer(s) Adrian Navarro Coach(s) of porters Manuel Rivera Kinesiologist(s) Ariel Obreque Javier Fernández Sports nutrition(s) Francisco Suárez Sports psychologist(s) Eliot Brito Utilero(s) Néstor Aguayo Julio Chávez Coordinator(s) Luis Carrasco Legend Pos.: Position Nac.: Nationality of sport Captain Mission BY / ARQ: Guardameta DEF: Defense MED / VOL: Camper OF THE: Delantero Official web template

• The teams of the Second Professional Division of Chile are limited by the ANFP to have in its table a maximum of three foreign players, but:
  • Lautaro Rigazzi has two Argentine and Chilean nationalities.
• By ANFP arrangement the number of t-shirts cannot exceed the number of registered players.
• Patricio Troncoso was operated after suffering a fracture of tibia in a friendly party against the University of Concepción. Your recovery is expected to be within 6 months.

Admissions 2023

Player	Position	Proceedings	Type
Rodrigo Padilla	Defence	General Velásquez	Free
Eduardo Vilches	Mediocampista	Rangers	Free
Patricio Troncoso	Mediocampista	General Velásquez	Free
Diego Zambrano	Defence	Iberia	Free
Gabriel Castillo	Mediocampista	Iberia	Free
Diego Muñoz	Defence	San Marcos de Arica	Free
Cristian Valenzuela	Delantero	San Marcos de Arica	Free
Ignacio Pinilla	Delantero	Iberia	Free
Brandon Obregón	Porter	Sports Temuco	Loan
Francisco Tapia	Mediocampista	University of Concepción	Loan
Mauro Lopes	Mediocampista	Sports Melipilla	Free
Matías Fredes	Delantero	Coppersal	Free
Javier Guzmán	Defence	Independent of Cauquenes	Free
Esteban Kirkman	Porter	Everton	Loan
Diego Matamala	Porter	University of Concepción	Loan
Jerhal Oliva	Delantero	Comunal Cabrero	Free
Francisco Lara	Mediocampista	Sports Melipilla	Free
Jhon Joy	Delantero	General Velásquez	Free
Javier Sotomayor	Defence	San Luis	Free
Carlos Hormazábal	Mediocampista	San Luis	Loan
Jonathan Espínola	Defence	Magellan	Loan
Gustavo Guerreño	Delantero	Blonde Ñu	Free
Kevin Flores	Mediocampista	Sports The Serena	Free

Departures 2023

Player	Position	Destination	Type
Vicente Bernedo	Porter	Catholic University	End of loan
Dylan Aravena	Defence	Huachipato	End of loan
José Molina	Mediocampista	Huachipato	End of loan
Christfer Salas	Delantero	Sports Antofagasta	End of loan
Juan Sebastián Ibarra	Delantero	Real San Joaquín	Free
Christian Jelves	Mediocampista	Osorno Provincial	Free
Celso Castillo	Porter	Sports Linares	Free
Fabrizio Manzo	Mediocampista	Sports Lima	Free
Matías Lagos	Defence	Lieutenant Merino	Free
Fabián Ramírez	Defence		Free
Ignacio Sepúlveda	Delantero	Lieutenant Merino	Free
Maximilian Riveros	Defence	Union San Felipe	Free
Cristóbal Vargas	Mediocampista	Santiago City	Free
Matías Toledo	Mediocampista	West Railway (General Pico)	End of loan
Joaquin Verdugo	Mediocampista		Free
Alexander Bolaños	Delantero	University technician	Free
Agustín Ambiado	Defence	Rengo sports	Free
David Henríquez	Delantero		Free
Alonso Montecinos	Porter	Spanish Uniona	Free
Gerardo Navarrete	Mediocampista		Free
Sebastián Navarro	Defence		Free
Sebastián Caro	Mediocampista	Naval	Free
Gabriel Castillo	Mediocampista		Free
Jhon Joy	Delantero		Free

Coaches

Timeline

Interim coaches appear in italics.

Honours of Prizes