Last Saturday's Clásico left soccer fans speechless with Barcelona's resounding 4-0 win over Real Madrid. In an afternoon of pure strategy and authority, Hansi Flick's team managed to dominate the white team in their own home. They ended up winning in almost every aspect of the game.
However, Real Madrid also had its moments. In several of them, Kylian Mbappé came close to making the difference. Even so, Barça found an unexpected hero in Iñaki Peña. The goalkeeper put in a stellar performance to stop the French star and his attacks.
Iñaki Peña's performance was undoubtedly one of the surprises of the day. The young goalkeeper, who's been under a storm of criticism, arrived at the Clásico amidst doubts about his performance.
Iñaki Peña Excels During the Classic
Peña comes from a season that left much room to improvement, when he had to replace Ter Stegen due to injury. This time, he began the campaign with the added pressure of a star transfer in goal: Wojciech Szczęsny.
The arrival of the Polish goalkeeper seemed to relegate Iñaki Peña to a secondary role and limit his chances of shining. However, on Saturday, Peña showed that he has more than enough quality to wear the Barça jersey, keeping a clean sheet against Real Madrid's attacks.
Iñaki Peña showed quick reflexes and confidence in his exits. Above all, however, he showed a poise that proved his potential in moments of high pressure, such as a classic. Although his performance surprised many, there was someone at Barça who never doubted him: Pau Cubarsí.
Pau Cubarsí Knows Iñaki Peña Well
The young defender, who's spent a lot of time training and in matches with Peña, knows his talent and has seen his development up close. According to sources close to the dressing room, Pau Cubarsí was always convinced that Peña had the necessary level to respond to world-class players like Mbappé.
The goalkeeper has thus earned the trust of not only the fans, but also Flick's coaching staff and, of course, his teammates. With performances like the one last Clásico, Peña is showing that he has what it takes to become a key part of the team. He made it clear that Barça has a solid foundation for the future.
Although all eyes were on Mbappé, Iñaki Peña stole the show, backed by the faith of Cubarsí and the Barça fans.