LAS PALMAS’S ALVARO VALLES WINS M88 MANSION POTM OF DECEMBER 2023 Las Palmas’s Alvaro Valles won the M88 Mansion POTM of December 2023 as the goalkeeper showed excellent form to keep his side in the La Liga top 10.
The Spanish shot-stopper edged the likes of November’s POTM Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Artem Dovbyk (Girona), Borja Mayoral (Getafe), Alvaro Valles (Las Palmas) and Iñaki Williams (Athletic Club) to clinch the last personal title of 2023. The Canary-based side fought hard to keep a place in La Liga 2023/24 top 10, and the sole reason for that has been the performance of the 26-year-old keeper, Valles. In what should be the most challenging period of his Las Palmas career – between playing in La Liga for the first time and having his strongest competition yet – Valles is not only defending his position but instead expanding his case as the club’s number one. Through his first 12 top-flight outings, the only game Valles has conceded more than one goal was against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
According to Opta’s‘ goals prevented’ metric – based on goals conceded from the quality of shots on target faced (using xG) – he has been the third-best shot-stopper in La Liga. He’s conceded three goals fewer than expected (+3.1), which ranks only behind Spain’s number one Unai Simon (+3.6) and Cadiz stopper Conan Ledesma (+3.4). Alvaro Valles is taking up positions as an auxiliary centre-back. He’s had 243 touches outside of his penalty area this season, more than the next two goalkeepers on the list – Unai Simon and Marc-Andre ter Stegen – combined.