By Zach Lowy
Espanyol appeared set for an imminent return to the Spanish second tier after dropping 9 of their first 13 matches of the 2024/25 LaLiga season and occupying the relegation zone between Matchday 16 and Matchday 21. Since then, nonetheless, the Pericos have gained 5 matches, drawn 4, and misplaced twice. They’ve solely conceded eight objectives in that point span – the bottom tally alongside Barcelona and Athletic Membership – they usually sit seven factors away from the drop with a sport in hand. And while there have been loads of particular person contributions, no participant has had a much bigger function in Espanyol’s turnaround than goalkeeper Joan García.
Born in Sallent, Spain, García performed for native Catalan sides Manresa and Damm earlier than becoming a member of Espanyol in 2016, the place he ascended the ranks earlier than finally making his first-team debut on December 1, 2021. He made 4 appearances throughout all competitions in his first two seasons, while he must wait till March 2 to play his first match of the 2023/24 marketing campaign after getting the nod forward of Fernando Pacheco, 9 years his senior. García rapidly eradicated any lingering doubts with a Man of the Match show in a 0-0 draw vs. Huesca, and he hasn’t relinquished his beginning spot ever since.
Espanyol completed fourth within the desk because of a penurious backline that conceded simply seven objectives of their last 14 league matches with García in objective, along with one objective of their 4 promotion playoff matches vs. Sporting Gijón and Actual Oviedo. García proved important in Espanyol’s profitable promotion chase, exhibiting poise underneath strain, cat-like reflexes, and a willingness to return off his line and declare crosses, prompting him to be voted because the membership’s Participant of the Month for March 2024, April 2024 and Could 2024, in addition to their Male Participant of the Season.
After serving as a backup within the Summer season Olympics to PSG’s Arnau Tenas and successful a gold medal in France, García returned to Spain and continued his meteoric development in between the sticks. At practically 24 years of age, García has staked his declare as one of many best goalkeepers on the continent, main LaLiga with 8.3 Objectives Prevented – practically twice as a lot as second-placed David Soria (4.3) – in addition to a league-high 3.8 saves per 90. What’s extra, solely Unai Simón (78.4%) and Thibaut Courtois (75%) have the next save share than him (74.8%).
Standing at 6’3” (1.93m), García has the peak and wingspan to impose himself in one-on-one conditions, however this doesn’t cease him from zooming off his line to cope with a harmful counter-attack, difficult the opposing attacker and forcing him to decide a lot sooner than he’d have appreciated. Every time Espanyol are leaking alternatives and permitting the opponent to mount strain (they’ve conceded the fourth-highest xG in LaLiga), García by no means lets his guard down, placing his fast reactions and acrobatic diving potential to good use and serving to his crew journey the storm out along with his nerves of metal and excellent anticipation. He has an adhesiveness to his shot-stopping the place, even when he does have to put out and forestall a shot from reaching the again of the online, he gained’t enable the ball to slide out of his grasp and trickle in direction of an opponent.
“García is a tall, albeit agile goalkeeper who’s assertive within the air and dependable in one-on-one conditions, however above all, I’d spotlight his nice reflexes,” acknowledged Emilio Blanco, a Spanish journalist who covers Espanyol for AS and La Grada. “Though he’s nonetheless younger and inexperienced, it’s clear that he has all the things it takes to be top-of-the-line goalkeepers on this planet. When it comes to performances, he has been the very best goalkeeper in LaLiga this season, and he’s the principle motive why Espanyol haven’t suffered relegation. There are forwards who assure you 20 objectives, however Espanyol have a goalkeeper who prevents them from conceding 20-30 objectives.”
He isn’t only a dependable pair of gloves who finds himself in the precise place on the proper time most of the time – he’s somebody who has the timing, precision, and composure to ship world-class saves, the likes of that are sometimes solely seen by legendary shot-stoppers like Manuel Neuer, Thibaut Courtois, Jan Oblak and Alisson. We noticed this in February when, after leaving a path of Espanyol gamers in his mud, Actual Sociedad’s Luka Sučić appeared set to transform from point-blank vary, solely to be denied by the outstretched leg of García. The next month, he bought a robust palm to Cristhian Stuani’s volley, preserving out a ferocious shot that was touring at supersonic pace. In doing so, García grew to become the first-ever participant to win the LaLiga Save of the Month on consecutive events.
In his first-ever season of taking part in common minutes on the senior degree, García is the highest-rated goalkeeper in FotMob’s LaLiga database (twenty sixth total), while solely Kylian Mbappé has acquired as many FotMob Participant of the Match awards (8). A kind of got here in a 0-0 draw at Atlético Madrid, one in a 1-0 win vs. Actual Madrid, one in a 1-0 win vs. Alavés, and one in a 2-1 win in opposition to Mallorca on March 15, earlier than following that up with a 1-1 draw vs. Atlético Madrid. Since then, he’s been named the Man of the Match in every of his final 4 matches vs. Rayo Vallecano, Celta de Vigo, Getafe and Valencia, the place he has made a complete of 21 saves and conceded only one objective within the course of. After his heroics in opposition to Getafe, Espanyol supervisor Manolo González declared: “We’ve a goalkeeper who makes the distinction. It’s like when Barcelona had Lionel Messi. He’s going to be a worldwide reference level.”
García’s in-game intelligence allows him to prognosticate potential hazard and get himself into the right place to forestall an attacker from taking an additional contact and minimize off his taking pictures angle. He’s a contemporary sweeper keeper who’s proactive quite than reactive, and who’s all the time backing himself to return out on high, whether or not that’s difficult for an aerial duel or making himself massive in a 1v1 state of affairs, reducing off his opponent’s taking pictures angle, or confidently commanding his field and swatting away a ball. However while he’s made the spotlight reels this season on account of his extraordinary reflexes, he’s additionally greater than able to dribbling out of strain and instigating a counter-attack with a pinpoint lengthy ball or a measured chipped go into the broad areas.
Together with his contract set to run out in 2028, it’s seemingly solely a matter of time earlier than García leaves Estadi Cornellà-El Prat for greener pastures – the one two questions are, when, and the place? Arsenal had been linked with a transfer final summer season and stay eager to discover a real competitor for David Raya (29), while Barcelona, Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Atlético Madrid additionally discover themselves searching for a youthful choice to problem their beginning goalkeepers, all of whom are on the flawed facet of 30.
No matter occurs, Espanyol will likely be hoping to delay negotiations till after Spain’s UEFA Nations League Finals, which can happen in Germany from June 4 to June 8. García’s launch clause will improve from €30 million to €35 million if he’s referred to as to the Spanish nationwide crew, and if he continues acting at this price, Luís de la Fuente could haven’t any different selection however at hand him his worldwide debut this summer season. While he faces ample competitors from Unai Simón, Raya, and Álex Remiro, Joan García has all the things it takes to not solely crack the Spain squad, however lock down a beginning spot with La Roja earlier than the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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