After getting promoted to La Liga this season, Girona are 12th in the La Liga table (at the time of writing) and are in the relegation battle with only four points separating them and Getafe in 18th place. In a season of inconsistency for the club, one player who has delivered above-average performances consistently is right-back Arnau Martínez. The 19-year-old has the joint-second most goals and assists (2+2) this season for Girona. The below visualisation shows where Arnau Martínez ranks for some of the key metrics when compared with the other right-backs from Spain’s top division of football.
Arnau Martínez’s availability for Girona since making his senior debut for the club in 2020 has been most impressive and only three right-backs have played more minutes than the Spanish U21 international.
One of the most attacking right-backs in the league, per numbers, Arnau Martínez has attempted the joint-second most shots among right-backs in the league. He also ranks above average — in the top 25% — for touches in the opposition penalty area. In addition to this, Arnau Martínez has the best Expected Assists(xA) per 90.
Defensively, the 19-year-old Martínez does possess good numbers but his positioning and aerial ability make him look somewhat of an average defender — ranking below the median for positioning.
Arnau Martínez’s improved consistency over the years puts him among the best young defenders in the league but he has a long way to go and it will be interesting to see in which league Arnau Martínez and Girona are playing next season.
