10.10.2010 11:45
Ramallets-Valdés a meeting of two legends
Sandra Sarmiento
Víctor Valdés is already a historic figure at the club as the only keeper to win two European Cups and he looks set to beat Ramallets record of 288 league games pretty soon.
Antoni Ramallets and Víctor Valdés got together for an article in October’s REVISTA BARÇA to
interchange opinions and feelings –the keepers of the teams of the Five and Six cups, past,
present and future between the sticks at the Nou camp.
Ramallets: “I’ll be happy if Victor beats my record”.
Víctor Valdés, who made his debut eight years ago with Louis van Gaal at
the helm in a game against Atletico Madrid, overtook Salvador Sadurní (247 games) last season and
will soon be passing Antoni Ramallets (288), who reckons: “records are there to be beaten and
I’ll be very happy if a guy like Victor takes it off me".
Experience
Victor was handed his first chance by Van Gaal, Rijkaard made him a
fixed part of the team and he has become a key part of Guardiola’s successful record
breakers. He’s won three Zamora trophies and Ramallets believes:”those of us who who
confident in his abilities have been proved right. He just needed games to become the safe pair of
hands he now is. For me it was clear that he was going to be a keeper for Barça by the way he dealt
with the mistakes he made. His ability to get over these things is very important and maybe his
principal virtue”.
Valdés: “Zubi, Ramallets and Sadurní are my reference points”
After eight years defending the Barça goal, Victor Valdés has developed
into a very safe bet for Guardiola. His character, positioning, talent, agility and reflexes have
all mead him one f the first names on the team sheet, but he still understands the need to improve
and he has it very clear who are the possible maestros he needs to match: “Zubi, Ramallets
and Sadurní are the historical referent points for Barça keepers – they defended the
club’s colours for many years and I am full of respect for them”.
Ramallets’ backing
Although he never actually saw him play in the flesh, Valdés has a special respect for Antoni
Ramallets. “the times that I’ve met him, he’s always made it clear that he trusts
me in goal. Right from the start he supported me and that is a luxury for me, which I’m very
happy to have”.