The Norman is the Hulk

on the blackboard where Imanol Sheriff points out its 11 starters before each game, there is a name written in indelible Chinese ink: that of Robin Le Normand. The realistic initial ‘eleven’ is made up of the Breton central defender and 10 more. And they don’t take him out of the field or the tanks. That is why he is already the only outfield player in the League who has played 100% of his team’s minutes, in this case the 2,250 corresponding to the 25 games that Real has played in the domestic championship. Adding the 90 that he will play on Wednesday against Mallorca – the opposite would be something anomalous, almost heresy – will reach 2,340, an unattainable figure for any other player in the championship.

The Norman He shared the honor of having been the protagonist in all of his team’s minutes in the League with Cadista ‘Pacha’ Espino, absent, however, in Monday night’s game against Granada due to suspension. There is a footballer like Prince whose participation is greater in 60 minutes than that of the Real defender, but it is because his team has played one more game. In Mallorca, the Frenchman will lead the ranking if everything goes smoothly. There are two other field players, Military and Cabrerawho trace their minutes, but have already had to be absent during a game.

The Norman He is one of the few footballers who has been able to avoid injuries and covid this course, along with Remiro, Aritz, Guevara and Port. In addition, he has gained such poise on the field, that he manages to anticipate or steal the leather from the striker with hardly any fouls – he has 24 in 25 games, slightly less than one per game – and without seeing cards. About to reach the second third of the course, he has not been sanctioned, he is not even threatened, since he has three yellow cards and no red cards.

Counting all the competitions, this course already accumulates 3,172 minutes of play. Added to the 3,627 from last season and the 3,109 from 2019/20, they give a total of 9,908 in just over two and a half seasons, or, what is the same, 165 hours on the green, almost seven whole days. Is Hulk.