Alavés' Cup hero: Raúl Fernández turns into clean sheet king
Backup goalkeeper Raúl Fernández has become Alavés' secret weapon in their Copa del Rey run, keeping clean sheets in all four matches en route to the quarter-finals.
The Basque side have quietly marched into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals without conceding a single goal, with their second-choice keeper playing the starring role.
The Cup specialist
While Antonio Sivera remains the undisputed number one between the sticks for Alavés in La Liga, Eduardo Coudet has handed the gloves to veteran Raúl Fernández for their cup campaign - and it’s paying dividends in spectacular fashion.
The 36-year-old former Athletic Club and Mirandés stopper has been an absolute brick wall in the competition, keeping clean sheets in all four of Alavés’ Copa matches:
- CD Getxo: Clean sheet
- Portugalete: Clean sheet
- Sevilla: Clean sheet
- Rayo Vallecano: Clean sheet (2-0 win)
This impressive run makes Alavés the only quarter-finalist yet to concede a goal in this season’s competition - proper Bobby Dazzler of a stat that.
Crucial interventions
Fernández hasn’t just been a passenger in these matches either. He’s made 10 crucial saves across his 360+ minutes of Copa action, including a particularly vital stop against Rayo Vallecano when the score was still 0-0.
That save from Fran Pérez’s effort proved decisive, as Alavés went on to secure a 2-0 victory at Mendizorroza on Wednesday night, booking their place in the last eight.
Mendizorroza dreaming
While Alavés have struggled for consistency in La Liga recently, their cup run has given fans something to get excited about. Coudet’s mixed selection policy - blending regular starters with squad players - has created a balanced side capable of competing with top-flight opposition.
With Raúl proving himself as the perfect cup keeper, locking down the goalmouth like it’s his own personal safe, supporters at Mendizorroza have good reason to dream about how far this team might go in the knockout tournament.
The security provided by having such a reliable last line of defence could prove invaluable as they face tougher opposition in the quarter-finals and potentially beyond.