Chennai
The German lad has kept 11 clean sheets thus far in the 2018-19 season, sitting behind Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, who leads the chart with 15. “For me, it’s ter Stegen, he is the most all-round keeper right now. He dominates every phase of play and the guy is fantastic at one-on-ones too. He is calm and composed with the ball at his feet and he is the perfect keeper,” said Baia through an e-mail conversation.
After the departure of icon Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer, the Portuguese interest in the competition is largely down to Andre Silva (Sevilla), William Carvalho (Real Betis) and Goncalo Guedes (Valencia). The 49-year-old felt the trio, which is part of the national setup, is having a fine outing.
“They are doing well, these are players with quality. Silva is having a good season at Sevilla, after a tough year at AC Milan. The change has been important for him and now he just has to keep it going. Carvalho provides the balance to the Betis midfield, while Guedes is doing good for an inconsistent Valencia side,” added the former Portugal international.
On who could become the next big thing from his nation, he chose Benfica’s Joao Felix. A number of Spanish and English clubs are interested in snapping up the 19-year-old forward, who has 10 goals and five assists under his belt in the Liga NOS. “This young player is performing really well and he is a kid with a lot of potential. If he keeps progressing in this way, he will be something very special. Unfortunately, he is at Benfica not Porto,” he showered huge praise.
Baia’s tenure at Barcelona lasted two and a half years (1996-98), during which he won five winners’ medal. Talking about his experience at the Spanish powerhouse, the former shotstopper said, “I have wonderful memories with this fantastic team. I loved playing for a club with such magnitude, I adored the city and people too. Playing with Ronaldo (Nazario) at the start of his career was a privilege. He was 18 or 19 at that time and was already the best player. Bobby Robson was an absolute gentleman, we miss him every day. He coached me at Porto as well as at Barcelona.”
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