Plans implemented by coach, Juande Ramos were executed perfectly by the players, with MCF not conceding a goal for the second time in the last three seasons at Camp Nou, and both with Kameni in goal. The Blue and Whites haven’t had to remove the ball from their goal since nearly a year and nine months ago, with the 0-1 win in February 2015 thanks to a goal from Juanmi.
A feat that no other team has achieved in all this time, highlighting the merit of his draw. A 0-0 draw that hasn’t occurred at Camp Nou since FC Barcelona-Sevilla FC over five years ago (22/10/2011).
The Cameroonian goalkeeper was again a star in goal, after he put on a stellar performance in 2014/15, which was successfully repeated yesterday as he prevented the home side scoring. Kameni made a total of eight saves – accumulating 23 in 11 matches – highlighting the stretch save to prevent Neymar’s header into goal in minute 93. This is the fourth time in his career, in the First Division, he’s kept a clean sheet at Camp Nou.
Curiously, the rival who Carlos Kameni has faced the most (23 times) in Spain is FC Barcelona, taking into account his time with RCD Espanyol and MCF in the three national competitions. Kameni’s good performance against Barcelona goes back to the 2004/05 season, with a 0-0 draw against RCD Espanyol during his League debut at Camp Nou. He repeated another fantastic match with the ‘periquitos’, the same result, (0-0) at Camp Nou in 2007/08.
In 23 matches against Barça, Kameni has accumulated three wins and nine draws, conceding one goal in his last three League visits to Barcelona with MCF. Since February 2015 until the previous game to yesterday’s (Barça 1-0 Granada), all goalkeepers who have visited Barcelona’s ground have conceded a goal in LaLiga. That day, a long kick from Kameni facilitated Juanmi’s goal which secured the Club’s second historic victory, away, against Barça.
Statistics of Barcelona-Málaga:
- Homegrown central defender, Luis Muñoz became MCF’s 193rd player to debut in the First Division. He left the bench to substitute reserve team player, Javi Ontiveros, who was part of the first team starting line-up for the first time, at just 19 years of age.
- Miguel Torres reached his 200th First Division match. With Málaga CF in LaLiga, he’s competed in 46 matches (16 in 2014/15, 23 in 2015/16 and 7 in the current 2016/17 season).
- Coach, Juande Ramos has reached match number 50 in League competition with MCF. He coached 38 games in 2003/04, plus 12 from this season, 2016/17.