Inigo

Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena has confirmed his price to the followers and the group with sturdy performances in two of the season’s most crucial matches: towards Bayern Munich within the Champions League and Actual Madrid in La Liga.

With Marc-Andre ter Stegen out attributable to harm, Pena has confidently stepped into the beginning position, dispelling doubts and silencing critics alongside the best way.

His shows between the posts have been instrumental, and regardless of Barcelona signing Szczesny as an extra keeper, Pena is aware of his place within the lineup is dependent upon sustaining his high-performance stage.

As Barcelona’s native derby towards Espanyol approaches, Pena recognises the importance of the match, significantly given its longstanding custom.

For Barça, the town derby is a sport that gamers are taught to prioritise from a younger age. He’s excited to strategy this sport with the identical profitable mentality that has been instilled in him since his early years within the membership’s youth ranks.

“The derby is all the time essential for Barça, it’s the metropolis derby. From the decrease classes we have been taught that it’s the sport of the yr, one which have to be received. And we’ve to play it with that mentality,” he started saying.

Driving excessive on confidence

Reflecting on his current performances, particularly his contributions to the group’s victory over Actual Madrid in El Clasico, Pena feels a terrific sense of pleasure.

“I’m joyful, very joyful and, above all, a bit of extra relaxed. Glad personally and collectively.”

The enjoyment within the locker room after that win, he believes, is one thing unmatched and motivates him to maintain striving. Coach Hansi Flick’s belief has been an enormous a part of his journey.

“The enjoyment I noticed within the dressing room after the sport can’t be changed with any save. The enjoyment of the supervisor, the workers, the squad, the employees… Successful like that on the Bernabéu was an amazing pleasure.”

Ideas on Hansi Flick and being No. 1

The younger goalkeeper revealed that after the Clasico, Flick was extraordinarily glad along with his efficiency.

“He was very joyful for me, he trusted me, he knew what I may give and he by no means had any doubts about my stage. I noticed him joyful, sure.”

Flick by no means explicitly informed Pena he could be the primary keeper, however has all the time assured him of his confidence, particularly after Ter Stegen’s harm meant Pena needed to step up at Villarreal.

“No. Marc’s harm meant that I needed to play at Villarreal from scratch. The supervisor informed me to remain calm, to solely fear about what he and the goalkeeping coach requested of me and little else. 

“He informed me that he trusted me, however he by no means informed me that I used to be going to be primary as a result of he doesn’t must say that. 

“In the long run, efficiency is what determines whether or not you play and the reality is that I’m very grateful for the belief,” he stated.

Relationship with Szczesny

When Barcelona introduced in Szczesny, Pena was unfazed. He understood the membership’s must strengthen such an important place. With video games packed into the schedule, he didn’t dwell on the brand new competitors, realizing that Barcelona wanted depth.

“I by no means had that concern. With video games each three days, I didn’t have time to consider this stuff an excessive amount of. 

“The membership wants to guard itself, particularly able like goalkeeping. With one goalkeeper from the primary group and two goalkeepers from the reserve group, it’s not viable in the long run. 

“The membership determined to signal a goalkeeper and so they informed me so, and I’m grateful that they informed me that, it says quite a bit,” he famous.

Szczesny, reasonably than a rival, turned out to be a supportive teammate who inspired Pena to concentrate on self-improvement reasonably than competing straight with him. This respect has solely strengthened the dynamic in Barcelona’s goalkeeping group.

“He’s a spectacular individual, as you’ll be able to see from the surface. I solely knew him as a goalkeeper and since he had performed in a number of the greatest groups in Europe. 

“The primary day he began speaking to me and informed me that he didn’t come to compete with me, that the one competitors I’ve is with myself, and that shocked me. 

“Ready like goalkeeper that’s so aggressive and the place just one individual performs, he confirmed a respect that he maybe didn’t deserve. He’s 34 years outdated and helps quite a bit.”

Offside traps and their execution

Barcelona’s tactical setup below Flick has been dangerous however rewarding, typically counting on a excessive line of defense that retains the opposition below strain. This was made evident towards Actual Madrid the place the Los Blancos have been caught offside on a whopping 12 events.

“That is what we’ve been coaching since pre-season, because the coach arrived, because the first matches.”

Whereas this exposes them to counterattacks, the group believes it’s a balanced strategy to recuperate their signature model of aggressive play.  

“As quickly as we arrived within the locker room, we have been informed that one of many premises to recuperate good play and have the ability to compete on equal phrases was to press excessive, to not be scared by any rival. You certainly expose your self.”

Flick has emphasised that errors are a part of the method, as excessive urgent prevents many one-on-one conditions and offers Barcelona a strategic edge.

“The coach informed us that he doesn’t care if we make errors, that he doesn’t care in the event that they rating a objective towards us as a result of, being ahead, we keep away from many one-on-ones. 

“In the long run, you find yourself evaluating the outcomes. It’s all about steadiness. They’ll rating some and so they’ll catch us in others, however ultimately, all the damaging performs that you simply keep away from make you a winner.”

Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi

Pena’s group contains gamers of assorted ages, such because the younger Pau Cubarsi and the seasoned Inigo Martíiez.

This mix of youth and expertise has boosted their defence. Nevertheless, Pena is fast to credit score all the group, as coordinated strain from forwards to defenders is what sustains the defence.

“We’ve spectacularly improved in defence, however ultimately, it isn’t only a line of 4. If the forwards don’t press, they expose the midfielders and if they don’t do it, we undergo. Teamwork ought to really feel rewarded.”

The Ballon d’Or fiasco

Reflecting on the current Ballon d’Or awards, Pena recognises that the Spanish winner Rodri has represented each Spain and his membership nicely, particularly with a Euro Cup victory.

He additionally holds nice hopes for his teammate Lamine Yamal, whose unimaginable potential suggests he .

“We all know that he makes a distinction from the primary coaching periods we noticed him in. He has one thing completely different, his means, his intuition. 

“You’ll be able to see that he can outline matches, that he’s a special participant. The final European Championship recognised him as a ‘high’ participant on this planet. He has quite a bit to supply us,” he stated.

As for his personal future at Barcelona, Pena stays targeted on his present efficiency, realizing that it’s the greatest path in direction of a contract renewal when the time comes.

“Sure, however I’m not anxious about it in any respect now. In the long run, efficiency determines renewals, and what the membership goes to determine about you. 

“So I’ve to proceed the identical, maintain taking part in at 100% and giving a superb efficiency. That’s what I need. For Barça to do what it has to do when it thinks it has to do it. The membership, for the second, has not contacted me,” he concluded.

Inaki Pena’s journey and the present Barcelona squad dynamics spotlight a group in transition, unified by a robust mentality and a shared dedication to success.

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