FCBARCELONA.CAT

07.11.2007 22:56

Valdés breaks European unbeaten record

Jordi Clos

Víctor Valdés has beaten the FC Barcelona club record for not conceding a goal in European competition as the clean sheet against Rangers on Wednesday saw him re-write the Barça record books.

The Catalan keeper was only rarely troubled in the encounter on Wednesday evening as he added another peronsal milestone by recording the longest unbeaten run of any custodian in the club's history. Keeping Rangers at bay meant that Valdés has now not let in a goal for the last 466 minutes. The previous best record was held by Pere Valentí Mora, who went 406 minutes without conceding.

John Arne Riise was the last player to score against Valdés when the Norwegian netted in the Champions League encounter against Liverpool in Camp Nou on February 21, 2007. Since then, Valdés has played five consecutive games without having to pick the ball out his net. His previous best record came in 2005/06, which stood 397 minutes.

A quiet game

Against Rangers, Valdés was only called upon to make a noteworthy save eight minutes from time when he dived low to his right to keep out Jean-Claude Darcheville's free-kick and then again in injury time when he prevented Nacho Novo's low drive from going in.

Arsenal unbeaten too

Arsenal and Barça are the only two teams in the Champions League this season not to have conceded a goal. The Gunners' Navarrese keeper, Manuel Almunia has chalked up a run of 360 minutes without letting anything pass him.