Club Deportivo Universidad Católica

Universidad Católica 1939

Universidad Católica 1949

While the club was born as one of the many sport branches of the Universidad Católica de Chile, officially founded in 1937, it began, strictly speaking, around 1910, when students of the University would reunite to play football matches, frequently facing historical rival Universidad de Chile. In time, the idea of creating a professional club emerged, and on 21 April 1937, the club officially and legally began. It made its professional debut, in the second division, against the Universidad de Chile. Rivalry, both in sports and in academic issues, made these matches between the universities become more and more important, eventually reaching the national status of "Universities' Derby". The rivalry maintains itself until today, with each match between these teams being considered a must-see for every football fan in the country.

The Universidad Católica has attained fame as a favorite of the higher classes, because of many factors, which range from the location of the club's stadium, San Carlos de Apoquindo (in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods of the capital) and Headquarters, although there are "UC" fans all around the country, including popular regions or towns. For this reason, is planned to build a new stadium in a more popular place of Santiago. Due to the neighborhood's strong influence (wealthy families), the club has been unable to be approved for projects to enlarge the stadium and thus draw larger crowds. Only until in recent years the club was allowed by the commune of Las Condes, to host their clasicos matches against Universidad de Chile and Colo-Colo in their own stadium. Although just a limited number of its rivals' supporters are allowed to be present at these matches due to security reasons inside the stadium and around its high-end neighborhood.

The club has reached notoriety, both in a national and South American level, as the owner of one of the best infrastructures and training centers in the continent. As such, it is a good source of young talents, which occasionally rise to stardom in the club. Its most recent youth academy produced player known worldwide is Gary Medel, currently playing for Turkish side Beşiktaş J.K., among other clubs such as Boca Juniors, Sevilla and Internazionale, as well as playing a big role in Chile's 2010 and 2014 World Cup squads.

"La Cato" is the 3rd team that has won the most tournaments at a national level. The club has won 14 national tournaments and one international cup: Inter-American cup. Also, in 1993, Universidad Católica was the runner-up in the most important international tournament in South America: the Copa Libertadores de América, losing in the finals against the biggest club in Brazil and defending Libertadores' Champion São Paulo They lost to what was considered the best team of the decade, a team that defeated Johan Cruyff's Barcelona Dream Team in 1992 and the Mighty Milan of Fabio Capelo em 1993. Between the two legs after a heavy defeat away la Catolica won the second leg but lost the title on aggregate. In 1997 the club celebrated its 60th anniversary with a friendly tournament where they beat Ajax Amsterdam 3–2 in the Copa 60º Aniversario de Universidad Católica.[2]

In recent years, the club has been reemerged in international competition, advancing to the 2005 Copa Sudamericana semifinal before being knocked out by the powerful Boca Juniors from Argentina, who would go on to win the tournament. In 2006 the team made a good presentation in the Copa Libertadores, but was eliminated at the last minute by Tigres UANL of Mexico and failed to advance beyond the group stage. Universidad Católica did not qualify for the 2007 Copa Libertadores.

Católica again played Copa Libertadores in 2008 with no luck, being eliminated in the group stage by goal difference by River Plate and América. In 2010, their performance was no better, finishing third in group stage behind Universidad de Chile and Flamengo.

In the 2011 edition, Católica finished first on the round robin, and then advanced to the quarter-finals, knocking out Grêmio of Brazil on the best 16 round, and falling to Peñarol of Uruguay 2–0 in Montevideo and winning their home match 2–1, which was not enough to advance.

In 2012 the club, under coach and former player Mario Lepe, finished last on the group stage, winning only 1 home game and losing on their away games in Colombia and Bolivia.

• 
  Trophy International Tournament of Pascua 1950
• 
  Segunda División 1956
• 
  República Cup 1983
• 
  Trophy Ciudad de Palma 1984
• 
  Primera División 1987
• 
  Primera División 1997-A
• 
  Trophy Huemul de Plata
  Primera División 2010
• 
  Copa Chile 2011
• 
  UC Cup U-17
• 
  Manchester United Premier Cup U-15
• 
  2016-C, 2016-A and Supercopa de Chile

The Chilean Football Federation rules allow a maximum of seven foreign players per team, but only five can be on the pitch at any one time. Currently, Católica has six foreign players.

Current squad

Current squad of Club Deportivo Universidad Católica as of 1 March 2020 (edit)
Sources: Universidad Católica official website

No. Position Player 1  ARG GK Matías Dituro 2  CHI DF Germán Lanaro 3  CHI DF Cristóbal Finch 4  CHI DF Carlos Salomon 5  CHI DF Valber Huerta 6  CHI MF Francisco Silva 7  CHI DF Tomás Asta-Buruaga 8  CHI MF Ignacio Saavedra 9  ARG FW Fernando Zampedri 10  CHI FW Edson Puch 11  ARG MF Luciano Aued 12  CHI GK Marcelo Suárez 13  CHI GK Cristopher Toselli 14  CHI MF Juan Fuentes

No. Position Player 15  ARG FW Gastón Lezcano 16  CHI FW César Munder 18  ARG MF Diego Buonanotte 19  CHI FW José Pedro Fuenzalida 20  CHI FW Gonzalo Tapia 21  CHI DF Raimundo Rebolledo 22  CHI FW Bruno Barticciotto 23  CHI DF Juan Cornejo 24  CHI DF Alfonso Parot 25  CHI MF Kevin Fernández 26  CHI MF Marcelino Núñez 27  CHI FW Alexander Aravena 28  CHI GK Vicente Bernedo 30  CHI FW Diego Valencia

Coach: Ariel Holan

Youth Academy

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 31 MF  CHI Benjamín Iglesias 32 MF  CHI Ian Toro 33 DF  VEN Aaron Astudillo

No. Pos. Nation Player 34 DF  CHI Patricio Flores 35 MF  CHI Clemente Montes

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  CHI Miguel Vargas (at Unión La Calera) — DF  CHI Vicente Fernández (at Palestino) — DF  CHI Enzo Ferrario (at Deportes La Serena) — DF  CHI Yerco Oyanedel (at Rangers de Talca) — DF  CHI Yonathan Parancán (at Santiago Morning) — DF  CHI Benjamín Vidal (at Coquimbo Unido)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  CHI Kevin Medel (at Deportes La Serena) — MF  CHI Jaime Carreño (at U. de Concepción) — FW  CHI David Henríquez (at A.C. Barnechea) — FW  CHI Brian Leiva (at Melipilla) — FW  CHI Sebastián Pérez (at Ñublense) — FW  CHI Diego Vallejos (at Coquimbo Unido)

In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player -- MF  CHI Juan Fuentes (Loan from Estudiantes LP)

No. Pos. Nation Player

Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 13 DF  CHI Benjamín Kuscevic (to Palmeiras) 14 MF  CHI César Pinares (to Grêmio)

No. Pos. Nation Player 29 DF  CHI Stefano Magnasco (to Deportes La Serena)

Current coaching staff

Position	Name
Manager	Ariel Holan
Assistant Manager	Juan Manuel Esparis
Academy team Manager	Andrés Romero
Fitness coach	Facundo Peralta
Goalkeeping coach	Juan Fariello
Director of Football	José María Buljubasich

• Claudio Chavarría
• Edu Bala

• 
  Trophy Bernardo Salamovich, Basket
• 
  Riding
• 
  Athletics
• 
  Athletics
• 
  Field hockey U-12, U-14 and U-16 2015
• 
  Metropolitan Youth Championship, Athletics

• Universidad Católica (sports club)
• Universidad Católica de Chile

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Club Deportivo Universidad Católica.

• (in Spanish) Official site
• CDUCatolica.com
• Los Cruzados
• Ceatolei