Hi all. I'm a chilean who was curious to see what the opinions were on the Bravo transfer. Surprised on the negativity going around. I understand that it's alot of money, but I think Bravo is worth it. I think he is underrated by most on here. Bravo was the keeper of Colo Colo in Chile. He was so good he was starting in the first team at 19. He was the NT goalie by the age of 21 and was sold to Real Sociedad at the age of 23. He is really really good at cutting crosses; plays incredible with his feet and I've seen him make many incredible saves. He has, as all goalies, also made some mistakes. I've seen Buffon make terribles mistakes and he's one of the best out there. He used to have a bit of a problem with free kicks which I think he has figured out.
I understand that Barca have been following him for over 5 years - with Valdes they didn't need him, so it wasn't necessary to make an offer. Why has he been at Real Sociedad so long if he's a good keeper? Probably because it's difficult for goalies to get transferred. Most big teams have goalies that last for a long time and Bravo wants to play. He doesn't want to "warm the bench". I'm sure Luis Enrique will give him a chance to fight for the number 1 spot or else Bravo would have stayed at San Sebastian. Also at Real Sociedad it's not easy to get noticed. He was in 2nd division for awhile, where he won the Zamora award to the best keeper.
Strange that Barca have been following Bravo for over 5 years. But only Reina and a certain german youngster were the ones constantly being linked to Barca in the Spanish press. And if what you say were so, Bravo would 've been our immediate signing to replace the departing VV. And lets not forget, there was no one competing with us for his signature, when clubs like AM and Milan are both looking for keepers. As for being difficult for goalies to get transferred, not sure.
In those 5 years that Barca were following him, Valencia, Liverpool, Inter, AM, Bayern Munich, ManU, Sevilla have changed their keepers. But I don't remember Bravo in serious contention for any of them. Or did they all fail to recognise his quality?
One can play in a lesser team and can still be noticed, and rated highly. Ex: D.Alves (Almeria), Keylor Navas (Levante)
I'm sure majority on this forum were unaware of who or where Bravo played previous to his Barca transfer. That's the kind of impression or the lack of it, Bravo has had on the football landscape. But I suppose even the fans failed to notice his talents.
Lastly, I think both Bravo and Ter Stagen will benefit from having competition. I beleive that players who have the risk of being left on the bench have to cope with that pressure and bring their best game to avoid it from happening. Having a quality goalie on the bench can only benefit the team - just look what happened to Barca this season when Valdes got injured. Yes, Bravo is 31 but for a goalie that is still pretty young. How old is Buffon? How old is the australian goalie that played CL this season for Chelsea?
I, personally, don't believe GK is a position that benefits from competition, on the contrary. Its a position which relies much on communication with the defense, and the trust of the manager. Being in and out of the side is of no help. There is a reason Casillas has been on a free fall since his playing time was restricted. Or the fact that Courtois doesn't want to rotate with Cech, or that clubs at the very top don't usually keep 2 quality keepers in their ranks.
Your arguments in defense of your fellow compatriot is all nice and dandy, but I'd 've preferred if the shower of praise came from a neutral who follows him regularly.
And yes, 31 is relatively young for a keeper, but only those who are exceptional are able to remain consistent past their mid-30s. I doubt Bravo is anywhere near Buffon's league, nor do I think he can guide a top club to championship like buffon has at his age. But may be I'm wrong. who knows? Since Bravo is Lucho's signing, and was bought for the same amount as TS, he must be integral part of his plans. But honestly, I'd be livid if Bravo received any preferential treatment resulting in TS' premature exit. Investing in Bravo will give us max 3-4 years at the top level, but in TS we 've a keeper for a decade. So I hope Lucho doesn't mess it up. But Guardiola's successors so far have demonstrated a lack of foresight, and vision, and a mere disposition to the immediate. And going by Lucho's insistence on pensioner signings, I'm not too optimistic.
Wecome, Btw. Hope I didn't come across too confrontational in my response.
