Espanyol are relying on their ‚Heroes from Lisbon’. When the Catalan side line out to face Werder Bremen on Thursday night, goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz will be back between the posts again.
Espanyol are relying on their ‚Heroes from Lisbon’. When the Catalan side line out to face Werder Bremen on Thursday night, goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz will be back between the posts again.
Espanyol are relying on their ‚Heroes from Lisbon’. When the Catalan side line out to face Werder Bremen on Thursday night, goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz will be back between the posts again. The UEFA Cup is ‘His’ competition whilst team mate Idriss Carlos Kameni is first choice keeper in the Primera Division. It’s something of an unusual situation for ‘Gorka’, as his team mates call him, who had a vital roll to play in his sides goalless defensive battles against Benfica Lisbon and their progression to the semi finals.
What woud appear an unusual constellation in Germany, doesn’t really phase the Espanyol keeper: “The trainer made that decision, there’s nothing else I can say about that. I collect my self-confidence and stability, like everyone else, in training.” The keeper doesn’t seem at all disappointed. The semi final against Werder Bremen would seem to be some consolation for Iraizoz, who is excited about the up-coming challenge against the German side: “You can really feel it in the days running up to the game that there is some major hype around the tie. We are going into the game with some special spirit. This is a really sacred game. It’s the match of the season, the most important game of the year – the match of my career.”
At the same time, the goalkeeper doesn’t particularly fancy being the central figure of Thursday’s game: “I’d prefare to be almost invisible during the game. That would mean the defence were doing a good job and maybe didn’t have a lot to do.” The keeper has a very clear impression as to how a good defensive performance from his side would look: “Werder have very good strikers, including a world class player like Klose, who is very strong in the air and is constantly present. We’ve got to keep their front men covered and, if we can, prevent them getting into the penalty area.”
Trainer Ernesto Valverde has a great deal of trust in his team: “We know the historical chance available here and we intend to take it. There are no clear favourites in the European cup semi finals.“ The coach is also very respectful of his German opponents: “They are just as strong as Benfica Lisbon. Those are sides who normally play in the Champions League. Werder have a physically strong team and are good going forward. That worries me a little. I guess, due to their international experience, that they have the edge slightly.”
Valverde has no intention of giving up the ticket to the final too easily and he can understand why his counterpart in Bremen, Thomas Schaaf, doesn’t see the Green-Whites in the roll of favourite: “Benfica declared themselves favourites to progress from the last round but we made it. Despite our absentees we have a strong team. Any player who is missing can be replaced by a further, top class player. I’m also hopeful of the support of our fans who could lend a wonderful ambience to the game in our own stadium.”
Johnnie Muldoon
