Goalkeeper Debate: Madrid’s Kepa vs. Lunin for Title Match

The debate around Madrid’s goal, non-existent for four years with Courtois healthy, is once again experiencing a new chapter but now, unlike the previous ones, it is with a title at stake. Despite his mistake in one of the red and white goals in the derby (which generated a post from Lunin’s wife) and the fact that he could have done more in another, Kepa remains the favorite to repeat ownership in the final of today. Lunin, meanwhile, is loaded with reasons to request again, when the season ends, the ability to maneuver to find a new destination.

Especially because the Ukrainian is showing himself to be more solid in the most visible (five clean sheets in 10 games, compared to Kepa’s seven in 16 games) and also in the small print, the specific statistics of his position. Although they receive a similar number of shots per 90 minutes of play (2.7 shots), the Ukrainian’s success rate is 80%, compared to Kepa’s 73%. An essential point is the aerial game: Lunin is just shy of tripling (with an average of 0.72) the number of successful attempts over the head of the Basque goalkeeper (0.28). The issue of headed goals conceded also stands out. Lunin is much safer (he averages 0.09 headed goals conceded per 90 minutes) than his competition (Kepa raises it to 0.23).

Enlarge

Kepa, in a Madrid training session in Riyadh during this Spanish Super Cup. JESUS ​​ALVAREZ ORIHUELADiarioAS

His future generates concern

Reasons for the Slav’s discomfort, whom Madrid wants to keep on the payroll for at least the remaining season (2024-25) and immediately afterwards incorporate the goalkeeper who will make the transition from Courtois to his heir under the Madrid sticks. The Belgian has a relationship with the entity until 2026 but next season will be to check if his cruciate operated knee is one hundred percent.

Until now, Kepa has been the goalkeeper in Madrid’s first title at stake, this Spanish Super Cup, another blow to the self-esteem of a Lunin who still doesn’t know what it’s like to play in a spicy tie (in the Champions League or final rounds of the Cup) except for the 2023 Club World Cup, due to Courtois’ injury, and it did not go well (he conceded four goals between the two games). If Ancelotti’s plan is to give Lunin more weight in the League, the Ukrainian already knows that he cannot aspire to the great individual prize for him, the Zamora Trophy for the goalkeeper who conceded the fewest goals. Although there are numbers for this (only 0.5 goals conceded per game), Kepa’s lineup in Vitoria mathematically prevented Lunin from reaching the minimum 28 games required to qualify for that award.

Follow the Diario AS channel on WhatsApp, where you will find all the sports keys of the day.

2024-01-14 05:20:21
#Kepa #resists #storm #AS.com