18.01.2011 18:21

Valdés heading for Zamora

Sandra Sarmiento

Valdés has ended the first half of the season having let in 11 goals in 19 games, which is almost the same as last year. Such consistency makes him the overwhelming favourite to win the Zamora.

Víctor Valdés is as safe as houses. His reflexes, his agility, his positioning, all are impeccable and this season he has once again produced some extraordinary saves. His stats this year have been simply stunning, and he is indeed a noble successor to the great Antoni Ramallets following his 286 first team appearances and three Zamora trophies to date, making him one of the lynchpins of this remarkable side. Once again, Valdes is almost a safe bet to win the award for the goalkeeper with the least amount of conceded goals.

Regularity

Valdés’ hands are yet another reason for such a terrific first half to the FCB season. In the very first game he saved a penalty from Tchité at Racing and was providential as he saved a Callejón effort in the derby at Cornellà-El Prat. He has shown his quality time and again, and is to be thanked for the team having the best defensive record so far this season, with just 11 conceded in 19 outings. At this stage of last season, Valdés had let in 10 and had kept ten clean sheets.

Worst season 2006/07

Since becoming the first choice stopper at Barça, Valdés has just got better and better. The figures show how hard he has worked to improve. In his first season, 2006/07, the team finished second in the league and he conceded 17 goals over the first half of the campaign, which was nothing to be ashamed of, yet pales in comparison to his later achievements.

Half a goal a game

Valdés won his first Zamora in 2004/05 when he conceded 25 goals in 35 matches, an average of 0.71 a game. Last year, the Catalans beat his own record by leaking just 24 goals in 38 games, an average of 0.63 goals. This season, Valdés is touching perfection. So far he has let in an average of just 0.58 goals in league matches.