It’s not the ideal recipe for sensitive hearts, but Deportivo’s path this season is written in the dying minutes of matches. A promotion journey not for the faint-hearted. The ‘Cesarini zone’—an Italian term referring to the final moments of a game and the likelihood of goals in those decisive stretches—has become the club’s comfort zone like never before.
Just like the legendary Juventus striker in his prime, Depor secured a vital win in Cádiz with a goal in the 88th minute, snatching three points when a draw seemed inevitable. This crucial victory means Hidalgo’s side now control their own destiny in the race back to La Liga. It’s a path tread from the Cesarini zone—and not the first time they’ve taken it.
The Galician team has collected 16 points this season from the 85th minute onward, a period where they thrive. Four of their wins in the last nine matchdays came during this phase. Early in the campaign, their affinity for late drama was already evident: in Matchday 3, Yeremay’s 87th-minute strike earned a point at Leganés; a week later, Dani Barcia’s spectacular 89th-minute goal sparked Riazor into frenzy, securing the first home win of the season.
By Matchday 11, Deportivo maintained their unbeaten home run with their latest goal yet—a 98th-minute penalty from Yeremay to equalize against Real Valladolid, when Almada still coached the visitors and they seemed destined for promotion. Everything has changed since.
In the second half, Antonio Hidalgo’s team again found comfort in the closing stages. Tight scorelines have been a constant, and late strikes are propelling the Coruña side. On Matchday 24, Yeremay Hernández silenced the Reino de León stadium with another penalty, securing a win over Cultural celebrated by thousands of traveling fans. On March 1, Mario Soriano took the spotlight, scoring a vital goal in the 94th minute for a 2-3 comeback victory at Zubieta. Altimira then netted a stunning winner in Ceuta in the 92nd minute, followed by Mulattieri’s 86th-minute decider against Zaragoza—another comeback.
Yet Depor isn’t just scoring in the Cesarini zone; they’re also shutting up shop. The prime example came against Leganés, when goalkeeper Álvaro Fernández ‘Ferllo’ saved a Diawara penalty in the 104th minute. Every point counts as A Coruña looks optimistically toward this decisive May.
The reasons: it’s not about luck. A common question asked of Depor’s coaches and players is how they manage to thrive in the final stretches. Far from attributing it to fortune, Hidalgo and his squad point to the team’s resilience. The psychological work nurtured by the coaching staff is key. “It’s a combination of things. First, physically we’re like jets, but above all, it’s a mental thing…”