Vlachodimos the saviour: Sevilla's Greek keeper becoming cult hero amid relegation battle
Odysseas Vlachodimos is proving to be Sevilla's guardian angel this season, with his penalty heroics against Girona the latest in a string of crucial saves.
Sevilla might be shipping goals for fun this season, but they’ve found themselves a proper diamond between the sticks in Odysseas Vlachodimos, whose heroics are giving the Nervión faithful something to smile about in an otherwise nightmare campaign.
Greek God in Andalusia
The Greek international was at it again yesterday, saving a last-gasp penalty from Cristhian Stuani to secure a valuable point against Girona. It was the perfect redemption arc after a dodgy clearance earlier in the match, but the Newcastle loanee more than made up for it with several crucial interventions throughout the game.
Vlachodimos revealed the secret behind his penalty save: “I talked with my wife about this last week and with Arturo, the goalkeeping coach, and we decided I would dive to the left.”
Season of saves
Despite Sevilla being the most porous defence in La Liga (a right shocker for a club with their history), Vlachodimos has been putting in performances that have saved his team from complete disaster:
- Against Rayo Vallecano, he made three point-blank saves in the second half to secure victory
- Versus Celta Vigo, his blocks against Williot Swedberg and Ilaix Moriba earned him a nomination for January’s save of the month
- A spectacular save denied Álvaro Rodríguez when Elche came calling
The new saint of Sevilla?
Comparing anyone to Sevilla legends like Andrés Palop or Yassine Bounou (Bono) might seem a bit Adam and Eve, but the Greek stopper is rapidly becoming a fan favourite at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.
The defence in front of him is miles off the quality Palop and Bono enjoyed, which makes Vlachodimos’ performances all the more impressive. He’s arguably sporting director Antonio Cordón’s best bit of business since arriving at the club.
Originally benched behind Orjan Nyland, the Greek keeper quickly established himself as first choice after just two matches watching from the dugout. Now fans are clamouring for the club to make his loan permanent this summer, though finances might make that a tall order.
With Kike Salas grabbing a late equaliser and Vlachodimos denying Stuani from the spot, Sevilla snatched a point that could prove crucial in their relegation scrap. If they do manage to stay up, they’ll owe their Greek goalkeeper a proper Spanish fiesta.