FCBARCELONA.CAT

11.05.2010 12:02

Valdés one game off third Zamora

Jesús Carrillo

FC Barcelona keeper Víctor Valdés is the virtual winner of the Zamora Trophy for the best record of the season after conceding 24 goals in 37 league games, ten less than second placed Iker Casillas.

Víctor Valdés is thus as good as already the winner of the award after appearing in every First Division game this season and playing every minute. He has let in a paltry 0.65 goals a game.

Record in sight

Barring disaster against Valladolid, he will set a new record. In 2004/05, Valdés won the Zamora by leaking an average 0.71 goals a games, and last season won the trophy again with a an average of 0.89 goals conceded – so this season record will also set a new personal best.

Hard to beat

For Valdés not to win, Barça, with Víctor on the pitch, would have to leak eleven goals on Sunday, and that’s assuming Iker Casillas keeps a clean sheet at La Rosaleda. It’s basically unthinkable, and the good omen is that in recent history, whenever a Barça keeper has won the Zamora, the team has been proclaimed Liga champion.

17th Zamora for Barça

This would be the 17th time that the Zamora has been landed by an FC Barcelona player. The club’s overall record is held by five-time winner Antoni Ramallets. Salvador Sadurní has three, which Valdés is set to equal on Sunday. It also means Barça will tie with Real Madrid, who have also had 17 winners.