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”.