Aitor and Edgar, the revelation of the 'short' goalkeepers

Edgar Badía and Aitor Fernández represent the last two great appearances in the goals of LaLiga. Their careers, moreover, are full of parallels: goalkeepers from big schools, international in lower categories and a late premiere in the elite, with 27 and 28 years respectively. Another common denominator: your height. Edgar (1.80) and Aitor (1.82) are, with the permission of Jordi Masip (1.80), the two lowest goalkeepers in LaLiga. A handicap in a theory marked by height and in 'Big Data' football. Its level, however, is a constant demand to end the paradigm of the goal. They are goalkeepers of stature despite their stature and this Saturday they are measured at Levante-Elche.

Edgar Badía has become the great protagonist from the beginning of Liga del Elche. The 28-year-old from Barcelona has only added seven matches in the First Division and it has been enough to put him in the window on his coming out of the elite. Only Jaume Dómenech (34) for more than him (28). His performances have been worth points in the great Elche start. His irruption and his character are reminiscent of the Levante goalkeeper.

Aitor Fernández, meanwhile, finished last year as the revelation goalkeeper of the category, contrasting the level shown in its premiere year in the highest category. When time passes, you can proudly say that He was the goalkeeper in Europe who stopped the most in 2019-20. However, despite his level, Mondragón's team recognized for AS that his year had a lot of impact “but he is not the type of goalkeeper I would like to be”.

Separated by a generation, born in '91 and '92, they were porters of great schools and members for years of the lower categories of the National Team until their careers took a turn. Perhaps his height, without actually giving himself that last stretch, had something to do with it. “He has been able to close a door, but the only certainty is that with 1.80 meters I have conditions and skills that other goalkeepers, with 1.90 which is what they wear now, do not have, “said the Elche goalkeeper in an interview for this newspaper.

Badía grew up in La Masía integrating that generation of the Rafinha, Sergi Roberto, Muniesa or Sergi Gómez, and after seeing how the doors were closed, at the age of 13, he jumped into the quarry of Cornellá and Espanyol. First setback that he solved with ways. As a parakeet, he made his debut with the first team. It was just a game without continuity, and because Cristian Álvarez was injured and Kiko Casilla, sanctioned. He spent half a season as a substitute in the First Division and became the goalkeeper of the U-19 and to be cited by the U-20, but when he woke up from that dream he realized that reality was showing him the exit door. Espanyol bet more on Germán Parreño or Pau López.

Fernández was one of the pedigree goalkeepers in Lezama. One of those called to occupy the goal of San Mamés in the future. However, his career was cut short when he returned from an injured U-20 World Cup and nothing was the same again. “Football has no memory, people go by and it seems that your career is going to one side. It is complicated,” he reflected.

The Basque left Athletic, and after proving his worth at Barakaldo, Villarreal threw the tie for his subsidiary. There he would coincide with Paco López, a technician who, in the end, changed his career. In yellow, a similar circumstance happened to Badía, being a regular with the first team, but without the opportunity to debut under the orders of Marcelino García Toral.

Outside of quarry football they began to carve out a future: after a fleeting passage through the Granada subsidiary, Edgar ended up at Reus; Fernández did the same and went to Numancia. After many stops and falls, both are now living their best moment in goal. They have left the myth of being short goalkeepers behind because their performances so far are being high. In his gloves, he will be this Saturday derby.