The long arms of Bravo

Barcelona’s goalkeeper doesn’t need to be a peacock to prove that he is an excellent keeper with an extraordinary personality

José Sámano –El País

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He doesn’t piss cologne, his body doesn’t have a novel written on it by a graffiti artist, he doesn’t run wild on twitter, he never insults, he doesn’t put on an outlandish costume when he opens his closet in the morning and, on top of everything else, he has a normal haircut. A normal guy, which almost makes him a freak in this era of superstardom, catwalks and movie star trailers instead of changing rooms. Claudio Bravo is not a victim of the times, he lives far removed from the effervescent world of celebrity. He’s never needed the trappings of football, he doesn’t need to tune himself or to strut like a peacock to call attention to what he is: an excellent goalkeeper who goes unnoticed in a well-defined and polarized ecosystem made up of mega-superstars and La Masía graduates. Of course there are a few other niches, as in the case of Alves, who gives himself life with his extravagant personality.

The fans would say that this Chilean of apparent monk-like austerity belongs to the middle class of the club. False impression. Bravo is a first class keeper for Messi and the choir. Somebody with an extraordinary personality that allows him to thrive despite the massive shadow cast by Victor Valdés and the great promise of the young Ter Stegen. His legs don't tremble as he imitates Koeman, starting play with passes from the back, defending one on one against rivals who generally attack him infrequently and doesn’t lose concentration. Goalkeepers are always an island, but even more so on teams that attack with everything.

At 32, Monín (little monkey), as some have nicknamed him for his agility, is highly respected in the changing room. They see him as a strong family man, serious, consistent and sensible. Sources from the club say “he expresses himself very well, very thoughtfully, just like how he plays”. When Andoni Zubizarreta was the sporting director, one of the rules of signing middle class players –neither superstars, nor academy players—was to examine the personality of the potential signing. They looked for players who were professional, respected and whose career revealed a long upward trajectory. Bravo met these three criteria and in Ter Stegen the club found another Bravo, but ten years younger.

In addition to meeting the psychological requirements, the Chilean also has the skills that are absolutely necessary to play in Barça’s goal. The system demands a keeper who can play well with his feet, who always maintains the correct distance from the defense, no matter how infrequently the other team reaches his area and who knows how to deal with playing at a disadvantage in one on one situations. At Barça he’s worked on his strength and velocity. He also has another exceptional quality: he has long arms. There are keepers who dive and others who stretch. The Chilean is of the former. Like Casillas, he is capable of reaching a few centimeters more than normal keepers. Goalkeepers call it “shoulder dislocation”, that extra stretch of the arm that allows them to reach farther.

Beyond the debate on Luis Enrique’s rotations, everything written about Bravo could be applied to Ter Stengen. Without Valdés, Barça has gained a two for one, a blessed solution if both are able to overcome the friction and get along at team barbecues, like Messi, Neymar and Suarez. The best news for the club would be for them to continue as they have until now, in silent competition. Another unusual situation in a world of football so given to flare ups. Another challenge for Luis Enrique, who has so far given more life to Bravo. Perhaps because he sees today in the Chilean and tomorrow in the German. Perhaps because the coaching staff sees Bravo as a sleeping tiger. That's understandable, because when he first arrived at the club he confessed in his deliberate speaking style: “I know that Ter Stegen has already been signed…but I’m going to be the starter”. Without that confidence it would be impossible for a keeper to constantly play at the edge of a precipice, as they do at Barça or Madrid. And on top of it all without making noise, without being outspoken, without ever having the opportunity of receiving a great pass from Messi so that he can bow to him.

Never in the winning goal picture, Bravo and Ter are back in the cloister, taking care of the hemlock. Both have gained greater respect at Barcelona, although the German was angry in Japan, where his teammate made few, but brilliant saves. Was it his turn? It will come. This international Barça doesn’t only live off of MSN.