Leandro Cabrera: The Heading King Espanyol Need at the Metropolitano
Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera leads Europe's big five leagues for headed goals among defenders. Can he hurt Atlético this weekend?
Espanyol head to the Metropolitano this weekend knowing they’ve got a proper fight on their hands — but they’ve got a secret weapon who might just cause Diego Simeone’s lot a headache. Literally.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Leandro Cabrera has quietly become one of the most dangerous aerial threats in European football — and he’s a centre-back. The Uruguayan has scored three headed goals this season (against Villarreal, Getafe and Valencia, all from corners), making him the defender with the most headed goals across Europe’s big five leagues. Only nine players in total have bettered him in that department, and every single one of them is a forward or midfielder.
That’s not a small thing. That’s genuinely remarkable.
A Proper Aerial Bully
It’s not just the goals either. Cabrera is the most dominant centre-back in the air across all of La Liga:
- 76 aerial duels won — the most of any centre-back in the Spanish top flight
- 128 aerial duels contested — again, top of the pile
- He’s won more aerial battles than Cubarsí and Asencio combined
The bloke is basically a human wrecking ball at set pieces, and Espanyol have been ruthless in exploiting that. They lead La Liga with 10 headed goals this season, and Cabrera alone accounts for 30% of those. Proper numbers.
More Than Just a Battering Ram
What’s impressed people even more is that Cabrera has cleaned up his work with the ball at his feet too. He now ranks as the centre-back with the best forward pass ratio for breaking lines in the Spanish top flight — which for a lad who built his reputation purely on defensive grunt, is a serious upgrade.
At his age, he’s genuinely hitting the best form of his career. He’s already the fourth most-capped foreign player in Espanyol’s history and the third centre-back to make the most appearances in the club’s colours. Not bad for someone who doesn’t always get the plaudits he deserves.
The Task at Hand
Of course, none of this means anything if Espanyol can’t get the ball into dangerous areas on Sunday. Atlético de Madrid concede fewer goals than anyone else in La Liga — Simeone’s defence is absolutely rock solid — so the Parakeets will need to be clinical when the chances come.
Set pieces could be the key. If Espanyol can get the ball into the box from corners, Cabrera becomes a genuine threat. Atlético’s defenders will know all about him, but knowing about a problem and stopping it are two very different things.
Espanyol haven’t had a terrible record at the Metropolitano in recent seasons, so there’s quiet optimism in the camp. Whether Cabrera can be the difference-maker once again remains to be seen — but if anyone’s going to nick something from a set piece, it’s him.