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.