Lisandro López (born 2 March 1983 in Rafael Obligado, Buenos Aires Province), sometimes known as Lisandro, is an Argentine footballer who plays for Olympique Lyonnais in France.
Primarily a striker, he is also capable of playing on the wings.
Club career
Racing Club
López started his career at Racing Club de Avellaneda, in the Argentine first division, making his first-team debuts at the age of 19.
He was the league's top scorer in the 2004 Apertura tournament, going on to net more than 30 official goals during his three-year spell.
Porto
In April 2005, Lisandro signed for F.C. Porto for a transfer fee of €2.3 million, moving to Portugal alongside countryman Lucho González. His agents, Global Soccer Agencies, retained 50% of the player's rights. He scored seven top division goals in his first season, in 26 games, repeating the feat in the following campaign, appearing in one match less; he also found the net against Rangers in the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League (1–1 home draw), adding two against Hamburger SV (also in the UEFA Champions League, but in the following season, 4–1 home win).
In 2007–08, as Porto were crowned league champions for the third consecutive time, Lisandro was the competition's top scorer, scoring 24 goals in 27 games (adding three in the season's Champions League). On 20 April 2008, he netted twice - also being booked - in a 2–0 home win against S.L. Benfica; in the middle of the season, Porto rejected an offer from FC Zenit St. Petersburg, and the northerners eventually bought the remaining economic rights of the player, for €4.4 million.
López only scored ten goals in the 2008–09 season, but finished fourth in the scoring list in the Champions League with six, only trailing Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard and Miroslav Klose. Porto wrapped up the campaign with the Portuguese Cup conquest, and he netted the game's only goal, in a win against F.C. Paços de Ferreira.
Lyon
After the sale of Karim Benzema to Real Madrid, López replaced him at Olympique Lyonnais, being transferred for a fee of €24 million, plus a €4 million bonus subject to performances. He quickly established himself as a fan favorite among OL fans with his energy and drive, his leadership skills and his clinical finishing.
On 8 August, he scored on his Ligue 1 debut, from a last-minute free-kick at Le Mans FC, in a 2–2 draw. He added an hat-trick against R.S.C. Anderlecht in the second leg of the Champions League qualifying round, in an eventual 8–2 aggregate win.
On 4 November 2009, López scored a decisive equaliser in a group game against Liverpool to ensure Lyon qualified for the knockout stage. Four days later, he netted twice in three minutes in a 5–5 ligue draw against Olympique de Marseille. adding a further three the following month, against Lille OSC: the visitors led it 3–1 at half-time, but were eventually defeated 3–4.
On 30 March 2010, Lisandro scored twice in the 3–1 home victory against FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the Champions League quarter-finals (3–2 aggregate win). He continued this good form with a goal in Lyon's 2–1 away win against Stade Rennais F.C. four days later.
On the final day of the season, Lisandro assisted Miralem Pjanić in a 2–0 home win against Le Mans, a result which placed Lyon second in the league table, with the subsequent direct Champions League qualification. On 9 May 2010, he was named Ligue 1 Footballer of the Year.
On 2 October 2010, López scored in a 3–2 away win against AS Nancy, in Lyon's second win of the 2010–11 season. He added two in the next ligue fixture - one from a penalty kick - a 3–1 defeat of Lille at the Stade de Gerland. On 20 October, he found the net again, against Benfica in a 2–0 group stage win.
After a one-month spell without a goal, López finally added to his account by grabbing a last-minute goal in a 3–1 away win against RC Lens. He added two in another away fixture, against Montpellier HSC (2–1, the second coming in the fifth minute of stoppage time). Three days later Lyon, needing a point to secure passage to the knockout stages of the Champions League, played host to Hapoel Tel Aviv, and he opened the scoring in the 62nd minute, in an eventual 2–2 home draw.
López scored again in the next game for Les Gones in a 2–0 win over Toulouse FC, putting them up to second place in the table. He also found the net in the following game, a 1–1 draw against title holders Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome.
On 6 March 2011, after six scoreless games, Lisandro scored a hat-trick in the 5–0 thrashing of AC Arles-Avignon. In the 27th matchday he continued his run, opening the scoring in a 2–0 away win against FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. On 10 April, he netted in the 90th minute in a 3–0 home win over Lens and found the net in the following two home fixtures (both 3–2 wins), against Montpellier and Marseille, with L'OL eventually finishing in third position; on the final day of the campaign, he scored a goal in his team's 2–0 win over AS Monaco FC, condemning Les Rouge et Blanc to its first relegation in 35 years.
Lisandro started the 2011–12 campaign in fine form, scoring in Lyon's first two games, his first coming in the early stages of a 3–1 win at OGC Nice. The following weekend, against newly-promoted AC Ajaccio, he hit the post twice in the first ten minutes and had several shots saved by Mexican Guillermo Ochoa, but was able to salvage a point for new coach Remi Garde on his home debut with an excellent header in the 83' minute.
International career
In 2005, López was called up to the Argentine national team by José Pekerman, and he made his debut against Mexico on 10 March, in a 1–1 friendly draw. After fantastic Porto performances, he was summoned three years later by Alfio Basile for friendly games against Egypt, Mexico, United States, and Belarus.
On 12 August 2009, Lisandro scored one goal in Argentina's 3–2 victory over Russia at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow. Nine days later, he was called by national team boss Diego Maradona for the decisive encounters against Brazil and Paraguay for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, but was overlooked for the final stages in South Africa.
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