Diego Alves: Valencia's penalty-save specialist does it again
Goalkeeper Alves had a big hand in Los Che's 3-0 win over Deportivo on Sunday, adding to his fine spot-kick record by denying Fayçal Fajr.<Celta-Valencia live
Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves further cemented his reputation as a spot-kick specialist on Sunday, making the 24th penalty save of his career in Spanish football.
Alves foils Fajr to take save rate to 48%
In the eighth minute of his side's LaLiga clash with Deportivo La Coruña, Alves denied Fayçal Fajr from 12 yards - meaning that the Brazilian has now stopped a whopping 48% of the 50 penalties he has faced in Spain.
And with the score still at 0-0 when Fajr stepped up, the 31-year-old's heroics provided the springboard for Valencia to gain a crucial three points at Mestalla.
Shortly after Fajr's penalty, the hosts took the lead through Ezequiel Garay, before a Raúl Albentosa own goal and a late Joao Cancelo strike completed a 3-0 win.
Alves has kept out 14 penalties since being signed by Valencia six years ago, having previously saved 10 at Andalusian outfit Almería between 2007 and 2011.
Alves has saved as many as he has let in
Of the remaining 26 that the custodian has come up against in Spain, one has missed the target, one has hit the bar, and 24 - fewer than half - have been converted.