FCBARCELONA.CAT

19.06.2007 09:00

Valdés, 38 out of 38

Míriam Nadal

Víctor Valdés has equalled Andoni Zubizarreta’s record in the 1992-93 season of playing in every single one of the 38 matches played in a league season.

Valdés has, evidently, been the most used member of Frank Rijkaard’s squad during a season in which Barça finished in second place.

Not since Zubizarreta

The last time Barça had an ever-present in the league was the 1992-93 season, and then it was another goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta. None of the regular stoppers since the great Basque (not Busquets, or Vítor Baía, or Hesp, or Reina, or Bonano, or Dutruel) played 100% of the games in a season.

In 1995-96 and 1996-97, Busquets and Víctor Baía played 37 matches, but both Mariano Angoy and Julen Lopetegui also got their chances those years.

Hesp came close

Ruud Hesp came to the Camp Nou for the 1997-98 season and played 36 out of 38 games. The following season he only missed on one game, to Arnau.

After Hesp departed 2000-01, Reina and Dutruel fought over the place between the Barça sticks, and played 19 and 15 games each, with Arnau also getting chances. Bonano won over Reina’s place the year after, playing 27 of the 38 league games.

Along comes Valdés

Víctor Valdés made his big break in 2002-03, emerging as a contender to regular keeper Roberto Bonano. Touted as the next Zubizarreta, the youngster appeared in 14 matches.

Consolidation

It was in the 03-04 season that Valdés became Barça’s number one choice, playing 33 games. In 2004-05, he played 35 and won the Zamora trophy, the same number of appearance he made the following season. And this year he has finally equalled Zubi’s record of playing in every single game, although the Zamora trophy has eluded him.