FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.05.2007 13:18

Valdés, one step away from the ´Zamora` trophy

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Following the Getafe match Victor Valdés heads the goalkeeping list of players fighting to win the ´Zamora` trophy 2006/7. The Barça stopper has let in the least amount of goals in the division and moves ahead of Getafe’s Abbondanzieri.

The fact that Valdés is one of the best keepers in the division is shown match after match. The Hospitalet born star has shown his quality throughout the season with stunning saves in key matches. The statistics are clear. With only two remaining matches Valdés has let in only 30 goals in 36 matches, letting in an average of 0,83 goals per match. This just beats Getafe’s Abbondanzieri who has an average of 0,85, having let in 30 goals in 35 matches.

Not the first trophy

Winning the ´Zamora` trophy would be nothing new for Valdés after having won the title in the 2004/5 season. On that occasion the Catalan star was beaten just 25 times in 35 matches, resulting in an average of 0,71 per game. This is the second best statistic in the last six seasons, only bettered by Cañizares in 2003/4 who had a total of 0,68 goals against him per match.

Zubizarreta, the last Barça keeper to claim the title

The Basque ´Dream Team` keeper, Andoni Zubizarreta, was the last Barça player to lift the trophy when he won it in the 1986/87 season. Following him the Catalan outfit failed to find a goalkeeper who gave such confidence to the team until Valdés came into his prime.

Sadurní I Ramallets as role models

If Victor Valdés were to claim a second ´Zamora` trophy he would be only one short of Salvador Sadurní’s record, one of the best keepers in the history of the club. Sadurní won the title on three occasions (in 1969, 1974 and 1975). While the mythical Antoni Ramallets will take a lot of beating having won the trophy five times altogether (in 1952, 1956, 1957, 1959 and 1960).