Claudio Lopez is Awesome!

By: Cesar | April 21st, 2009

I’m finally back from the Midwest and boy, are my arms tired!

Ok, bad joke. But I did have a lovely time in the Windy City. It’s quite different from my native New York. The people are friendlier, the streets are cleaner and the beer’s smoother. I’ll have to make sure to go back.

But you’re not here to read my travel diatribes. You’re here to read about Valencia CF, who cruised to a 3-1 victory this weekend against 3rd-place Sevilla.

I didn’t get to opportunity to watch the match. I’ve only seen highlights.

To read about the match, make sure to check out Kyle’s excellent recap at Loco 4 Los Che and goal.com’s not-so-excellent player ratings at … goal.com.

You want videos? Check out DynamoFan1953’s awesome video page on YouTube for all the goals.

Did you know we play tomorrow? Yikes! I had no idea.

Real Betis, here we come. I won’t be around for that one, either. I’ll be at the new Yankee Stadium, watching the New York Yankees defeat the Oakland A’s. Or so I hope …

I WILL be holding court at Nevada Smith’s in New York City this weekend for the Barcelona game. So if you’re in the area, please come down and show your love for Our Beloved …

I read it was an electric atmosphere at the Mestalla. Did many of the regular readers get a chance to meet up for the match? Wish I was there …

Where was I? Chicago. And why’s this post named ‘Claudio Lopez is Awesome!’? Let me explain …

As many of you know, Claudio Lopez, nicknamed ‘El Piojo’ or ‘The Louse (One lice)’, is a legend in Valencia.

He was a prolific striker, guiding Los Che to the 1999 Copa del Rey title and the 2000 Champions League final. In all, he played four years with Our Beloved and scored 42 goals. Most importantly, his joy and enthusiasm for playing left its mark on many a Valencia supporter’s heart. He was simply a joy to watch and a pleasure to support.

He left our friendly confines for Italy and Lazio. He did well in his 4 years there, then bounced to Mexico and back to his native Argentina before settling in the US and the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer.

He’s done well here, scoring 7 in 33 games. But his career’s winding down. KC might be the last pit stop on a fabulous career.

So there I am, in Chicago, getting ready to run off to a rehearsal dinner we were late for.

I see all of these guys wearing Kansas City Wizards gear walking in the lobby, heading for the elevators, one after the other. My experience tells me this means the team is here, staying at the same hotel as me.

Nice, I say to myself. An MLS team staying at the same hotel …

All of a sudden, it clicks. Holy. Sh*t. El Piojo plays for KC!

Is he here? Can I see him?

My heart jumps into my throat. I start pacing back and forth like a five year old. I’m sweating and clammy.

And there he is, walking off the bus, headed straight for me.

I walk up to him, say ‘El Piojo!’ like a total douche bag, tell him how much I love him in very stuttered Spanish and walk away, shaking like a little girl who’s just seen her favorite pin up idol.

I can’t stop talking about El Piojo for the next 24 hours. I see some of the Wizards at breakfast the next day, see them walking around the hotel, see their coaches in the elevator and even meet Fox Soccer Channel announcer Max Bretos, who was in town to call the Wizards-Chicago Fire match Saturday night.

I see Claudio a few more times. He passed me before the match and I wished him good luck. He said, ‘Hola, amigo.’

My heart fluttered.

I saw him at breakfast the next day. His son high fived me and Claudio told me they tied 2-2 the night before against the Fire.

I left him alone, but his family sat next to me at breakfast and I couldn’t help but look over at the former Valencia legend, the guy who scored so many fabulous goals for Our Beloved over the years, a guy who played with his heart on his sleeve for Valencia … how could I not?

How could I possibly not want to hug the guy, tell him how much he meant to me, tell him how very much I love Valencia CF and what he did for my club?

But I didn’t … I left him alone. He looked happy, playing with his son, eating with his wife.

I left the breakfast cafeteria, looking back at El Piojo and smiling at myself. Isn’t football grand? Isn’t being a fan of Valencia CF, with all it’s ups and downs just awesome?

Thanks for the great memories, Piojo! It’s not every day you get to meet a legend of your favorite club. He was more than nice to me, so I thank him for that …

Here, an interview with Piojo regarding his new commercial for Mahou beer recorded for the 90th anniversary of Valencia CF. He talks about his love of Valencia and his time with us.

AMUNT PIOJO! And look for my face this weekend … I hear the KC Wizards will be in New York! I kid, I kid!!!!