What next for Iker Casillas?

Johannesburg, 11^th July 2010. Spain versus the Netherlands in the World Cup final. The clock reads 61 minutes, and it is still a stalemate between the two sides. Suddenly, Wesley Sneijder slips a ball through to Arjen Robben on the halfway line, who dashes past the Spanish defenders and into the penalty area. Robben looks up to see the onrushing Iker Casillas, and time stands still as he decides whether to go round the keeper or shoot first time. He picks his spot, and shoots low with his left foot. Casillas goes the wrong way, but deflects the ball wide with an outstretched boot. The danger is averted.

That save was the defining moment of Iker Casillas’ career. There may well have been better stops, but none have been as significant as that one he made to deny Robben in the World Cup final. In Spain, the save is talked about in almost the same glowing terms as Andrés Iniesta’s late winner in added extra time, and rightly so. Casillas’ intervention was crucial in ensuring that Vicente Del Bosque’s side went on to win the World Cup, and his performance in the final meant he would go down in goalkeeping history.

Four years later, Spain faced the Netherlands again, this time in their opening group game of the World Cup in Brazil. Spain lost 5-1 and Casillas was awful, later admitting that it had been the worst performance of his career. It was none other than Robben who stuck the final nail in the coffin, turning past the Spain captain and leaving him scrabbling frantically in his tracks as he slotted home the fifth and final goal. Casillas was just as useless against Chile, as Spain lost 2-0 and were dumped out unceremoniously. In both matches he seemed uninterested, a shadow of his former self.

Fortune has played an important part in Iker Casillas’ career. When Real Madrid’s first choice keeper César Sánchez was injured in the 2002 Champions League final, it was Casillas who came on to make a string of fine saves to rescue his side. Then it was Santiago Cañizares’ misfortune that meant that Casillas was made Spain’s No. 1 in the World Cup later that year, after Cañizares dropped an aftershave bottle on his foot, severing a tendon and ruling himself out of the tournament. In the round of sixteen tie against Ireland, Casillas saved two penalties in the shootout and instantly became a hero, with the Spanish press dubbing him ‘San Iker’- Saint Iker. He has not looked back since, captaining Spain to victory at Euro 2008, Euro 2012, and of course in South Africa. “Luck?” he said, in an interview with Sid Lowe during Euro 2004. “Maybe. But if you let in three, what's the point? You have to take advantage.”

But Casillas has also fallen prey to his own misfortune. In the 2012/13 season he was dropped by José Mourinho after trying to negotiate peace between Madrid and Barça, along with his friend and Spain teammate Xavi.  “I called Xavi because it was my duty to do so, as the captain, it’s my responsibility. I knew what I had to do because the group was becoming divided, because I represent my country and I have to defend an idea,” Casillas said in an interview with El País’ Luis Martín.

Mourinho was outraged, and decided instead to play the hugely inexperienced Antonio Adán. Things seemed to settle down when the Portuguese coach finally saw sense and decided to restore Casillas to the No.1 spot, but in a desperately unlucky turn of events he broke his hand during a Copa del Rey tie against Valencia, after a collision with Álvaro Arbeloa (ironically, one of Mourinho’s favourite players at Madrid). Casillas was sidelined for the rest of the season, and Diego López was bought from Sevilla to cover for his absence.

López barely put a foot (or hand) wrong while Casillas was out injured, making save after brilliant save without getting anywhere near the same kind of recognition from the Madrid press. Mourinho soon departed, with his tenure turning increasingly sour, but López remained, leaving new coach Carlo Ancelotti with the dilemma of how to keep the two keepers happy. In the end he settled on playing López in La Liga, and Casillas in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. Ancelotti’s plan worked to a certain extent. Casillas was able to lift the fabled Décima and the Copa del Rey, but he lacked playing time. His decision making suffered, and his error in the Champions League final was a sign of how he wasn’t in the best form coming into the World Cup.

Now Casillas finds himself at a crossroads. Keylor Navas was poached from Levante this summer, fresh from an impressive World Cup for Costa Rica, and Diego López has been sold to Milan. While Ancelotti may have been able to juggle two good custodians last season, three would have been impossible, and López was simply too good to be benched.

Fresh from an excellent World Cup, Navas will put pressure on Casillas.

Keylor Navas will provide stiff competition for Casillas. He emerged as one of the best keepers in La Liga last season, making 141 saves, more than anyone else in the Spanish top flight. His training methods are intense and he is an excellent shot-stopper, boasting a fine set of reflexes. Despite this, he only has one year of experience in Spain’s top division, having previously played second fiddle to Gustavo Munúa at Levante. A year of assimilation into the Real Madrid setup would come in handy for Navas, instead of instantly being put in the spotlight. It is clear that he will become first choice at some point, but there is no need to rush the process. This transfer window has shown how keen top clubs are to have two top level keepers between the sticks, and, given the number of trophies Madrid will have to contest this year, the likelihood is that Ancelotti will use a similar policy to last season, rotating Casillas and Navas between competitions.

Casillas deserves the chance to prove himself again to Ancelotti. At 33, he has plenty of experience and could take some of the pressure off Navas, while trying to go out on a high note. Provided Casillas can start regularly, there is a chance he could recover some of his form and confidence.

Casillas is not the keeper he once was, that much is true. But in the small window of an international tournament, things can be blown out of proportion, especially with goalkeepers. Time will tell if Casillas’ terrible World Cup was merely down to bad form, but we shouldn’t be too quick to write him off. Whatever happens this season, he doesn’t deserve to be remembered for his performances in Brazil. In time, Navas will replace Casillas, and Navas will be replaced by someone else. But Casillas will always be one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, if not the greatest.

@tomas_hill

Why this Clasico could decide La Liga

On Sunday, Real Madrid and Barcelona meet in a game that could decide the outcome of La Liga, and Barça coach Tata Martino’s fate. For Madrid, it is a chance to cement their place at the top of La Liga, while for Barça it represents their last realistic shot at mounting a title challenge. Such is the crazy nature of Spanish football that despite a 7-0 win against Osasuna last weekend, the vultures are circling around the Camp Nou, and if Madrid were to inflict a heavy defeat on the Catalans, it would be the final straw for the directors of the Catalan club, who are said to be looking for a replacement for Martino already.

When these two sides met back in October, it was a very different story. Ancelotti was just finding his feet in the capital, and Madrid succumbed to a limp 2-1 defeat, barely threatening Victor Valdes’ goal. The Italian manager had named a defensive line-up, including Sergio Ramos in midfield, and it was clear that he didn’t yet know his best eleven. Star signing Gareth Bale paled in comparison with Neymar, and the general consensus was that Barça could have scored more. It seemed as if Tata Martino’s side were on the up, whereas there was still a lot of tinkering to do for Ancelotti.

What a difference five months can make. For now, talks of crisis have been subdued after Barça secured their passage to the last eight of the Champions League against Manchester City, but recent defeats against lowly Valladolid and Real Sociedad have put Martino’s position in jeopardy. Madrid, meanwhile, look a different team to the side that played against Barcelona in October. The attacking trio of Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo has finally clicked for Ancelotti, while the team’s defence has improved drastically. Diego López has conceded 26 goals in 28 games, putting him third in Marca’s Zamora rankings for the best Spanish goalkeeper in La Liga, and, while his heroics cannot be understated, this is also down to the solid back four that he has had in front of him.

But there is another reason that this Clásico has taken on so much importance. There is a third team involved. Traditionally Madrid and Barça have occupied the top two places before this clash, but this time the outstanding Atlético Madrid are ahead of Barcelona, in second place. Up until recently, Atlético could rightfully have considered themselves as the best team in Madrid this season, and they have certainly been more impressive than the Catalans. A glance at the points totals in La Liga shows why some have labelled this a three-team Clásico. Real are top with 70 points, while Atlético are second with 67 points, only one point ahead of Barça in third place. The margins for error are extremely tight, and, if Atleti were to win against bottom side Betis on Sunday, and Real Madrid lose against Barça, then they would go top again.

While some have predicted a heavy defeat for Barça, they still remain formidable opponents when it matters the most, as demonstrated in the recent performances against Manchester City and Osasuna last weekend, and they will certainly be no pushovers. However, Ancelotti was right when he said that his team ‘arrive in a really good moment’, and we can expect a Real Madrid performance far removed from the tentative display in October. This promises to be an intriguing Clásico.

Be afraid, Barça, be very afraid.

This article first appeared on Sabotage Times. 

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

The rise of César Azpilicueta

Azpilicueta is Mourinho's new favourite.

When Jose Mourinho returned to Chelsea, few expected him to keep César Azpilicueta. The right-back had only demonstrated his worth for Chelsea in occasional flashes, and, behind Branislav Ivanović in the pecking order, things were looking gloomy for the young Spaniard.

Fast forward several months, and nobody could have predicted how things would turn out for Azpilicueta. He is now one of the most established players in Mourinho's new-look Chelsea side, having started 17 Premier League games this season, and has become a key part of the team. Instead of playing in his favoured position on the right-hand side of defence however, Azpilicueta has succeeded in displacing the stagnating Ashley Cole at left-back, and has adapted seamlessly to this new role. So much so, in fact, that he is now a Mourinho favourite.

In an interview last month, the Portuguese manager described how '11 Azpilicuetas would probably win [the Champions League] because football is not just about pure talent, football is also about character and personality, and Azpilicueta has all the traces of that winning personality'. High praise indeed.

Above all, Azpilicueta is a team player, and Mourinho has taken a shine to him for precisely this reason. Some have compared his situation to that of Álvaro Arbeloa, who, despite not being the most flashy of right-backs, was largely consistent during Mourinho's tenure at Real Madrid, and consequently became one of the manager's favourites. However, comparing Azpilicueta to Arbeloa is futile. It is true that Arbeloa occasionally played at left-back for Madrid, but that is about as far as the comparisons go. The Chelsea full-back offers much more in terms of attack, and arguably more in defence as well.

Azpilicueta has sometimes been criticised for this feature of his game, but it seems that his defending is improving at left-back, where he has rarely been caught out this season, making an average of 3.6 tackles every Premier League game. Attacking remains one of Azpilicueta's key strengths, but it is disappointing to see that the 24-year old has yet to register a single goal or assist this season in the league. On the other hand, it could be interpreted as a sign that Azpilicueta is adapting to his role as a team player. He has tended to stay back this season, preferring to leave the marauding to fellow full-back Ivanović. The signs point to Azpilicueta maturing and becoming a more complete player under Mourinho's tutelage.

Right-back has become a problem position for Spain recently, with Arbeloa declining and seemingly out-of-favour at Madrid, and so there is every chance that Azpilicueta could be called up for La Roja ahead of the World Cup if he keeps up his current form. Del Bosque is assessing his options at right-back in the run-up to the tournament, demonstrated in the way that he decided to play Azpilicueta against Italy on Wednesday. The Chelsea full-back was outstanding, and the likelihood is that Arbeloa is now an outside bet to make the Spain squad after Azpilicueta's performance. He faces stiff competition from the impressive Atlético right-back Juanfran to cement a place in the squad, but if he continues to mature in the way he has done over the last few months at Chelsea, a call from Vicente Del Bosque is highly likely.

César Azpilicueta has been one of Chelsea's unsung heroes this season. While he may not be the long-term solution to replacing Ashley Cole (Mourinho seems to be interested in signing Luke Shaw), it will be interesting to see whether he is moved back to his more familiar position in the future, or whether Mourinho sees his future at left-back . From looking as if he might be offloaded at the beginning of the season to becoming a key player, Azpilicueta is simply making the most of each opportunity.

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

This article first appeared on Back Page Football.

Alvaro Negredo: a different kind of beast

'La Fiera de Vallecas'

Álvaro Negredo's appearance does him few favours. You could be mistaken for thinking he was a typically 'British' centre-forward if you had never seen the burly Spaniard play before- the kind of player who constantly torments defences with his sheer strength. In fact, the Fiera de Vallecas, as he was nicknamed by his Sevilla team-mates, offers much, much more than just that, and he has proven this in his first few months in England.

Some Manchester City fans were skeptical when Negredo signed in the summer. £20.6 million seemed like a lot, especially with the impending arrival of Stevan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko also at the club. Indeed, the Sevilla president del Nido was extremely pleased with the amount of money he was able to coax out of City. Five months later, nobody can say that Manuel Pellegrini did not know what he was doing when he signed the former Real Madrid youth-team player.

Against Liverpool last Thursday, Negredo showcased a fine piece of skill, chipping Simon Mignolet with the outside of his boot for his side's second goal as City continued their fine form at the top of the league. It was an outstanding goal, even if Mignolet did flap at the shot, and further proof that Negredo has a footballing brain that transcends his size. At Sevilla this was evident in the occasional bicycle kick, for instance, but it is at Manchester City that this aspect of his game has flourished.

But of course, the physical side of Negredo's game cannot be overlooked. His brawn gives him an edge over defenders, and Negredo himself has admitted that he enjoys this aspect of English football the most. It also makes him the perfect partner for the diminutive Agüero. The pair have struck up a great partnership, which has seen them score 21 goals this season in the Premier League. As two polar opposites, they complement each other brilliantly, and they, along with the rest of Pellegrini's side, show no signs of slowing down.

This could very well be Álvaro Negredo's annus mirabilis with the World Cup fast approaching and City looking like title favourites. Negredo's fine form in the Premier League has given Del Bosque a serious headache as to who should play up front for Spain, but it will be one he relishes given the lack of options Spain had up front this time last year. At the moment Negredo and the recently nationalised Diego Costa appear to be the main contenders for a starting spot, and the next five months will be crucial in deciding which of the two will start. Costa may have the upper hand on Negredo due to playing in Spain (Del Bosque has seemed to favour Spaniards playing in La Liga in recent years) but there have been suggestions that Del Bosque could field Diego Costa and Álvaro Negredo in the same formation, with Costa playing as a false nine behind Negredo. Whether this is viable is debatable, but Del Bosque will take both to Brazil if they can keep their current form up. Negredo's battle with Diego Costa to be Spain's starting striker will be intriguing. 

There were of course questions as to whether Negredo could play in such a stylish Spain team, but so far he has dispelled these doubts, like those when he joined Manchester City, scoring a number of times upon starting for Spain. In fact, he was the team's most efficient scorer in the World Cup qualifiers, scoring a goal every 56 minutes for Spain. At times Negredo is a battering ram, at others an artist. He is playing some of the best football of his career alongside Agüero, and is enjoying life in the Premier League. Long may it continue. 

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero