Iñigo Martínez, FC Barcelona's silent hero: The Basque's great performance against Rayo Vallecano

One of the tasks that is often undervalued in the world of football is that of defenders. Those silent guardians who, without taking too much of the spotlight, are often decisive for their teams. A proof of this was seen in the match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano (1-0),  a duel in which, yes, Pedri González had another stellar performance, Robert Lewandowski scored again and Szczęsny had a couple of key saves,  but there was another seldom-mentioned hero: Iñigo Martínez.

And it's because the 33-year-old Basque defender crowned a great performance against the team from Vallecas. Beyond his key participation, firstly because the penalty that Robert Lewandowski converted into the 1-0 goal originated from a foul committed against him in the opponent's area, he was also involved in the action in which the equalizing goal for the 'franjirrojo' club was disallowed, and still, a third saving action just before half-time. With Szczęsny beaten, the '5' managed to head the ball off the line that was heading for a goal.

Iñigo Martínez's outstanding performance numbers against Rayo Vallecano

However, the great game that Iñigo Martínez had was not only summarized by those three specific actions, but if you review the statistics of the Basque defender against Rayo Vallecano,  his influence on the field as a 'leader' in the Barcelona backline is evident. The former Athletic Club player was the player with the most clearances in the match with a total of 7,  also leading the game in aerial duels won (3 out of 4) and being one of those who drew the most fouls in the offensive aspect (2).

In addition, besides having caused a crucial penalty,  he once again showed himself as an ideal complement to Pau Cubarsí in starting plays from the backline. Martínez received the ball 67 times and effectively made 43 passes out of the 51 attempted, also being an important element in bypassing lines with long passes, with three out of six.

These aspects, combined with great numbers like two interceptions (leading FC Barcelona in this area) and his three out of six ground duels won, only reaffirm the superiority of an Iñigo Martínez who in each performance showcases his experience and continues to build what will presumably be his contract renewal agreement with the Barcelona club, which should be finalized soon.