Can Lucky Loser Sergio Rico Displace Sevilla Goalkeeping Hero Beto?

Watching as a spectator, the question must have entered the mind of Sevilla's UEFA Europa League-winning goalkeeper Beto: "Could I permanently lose my job to a novice in Sergio Rico?"

While the fleeting moment of doubt provided Beto pause for thought, Rico is a lucky loser having lost out to Beto for the starting position and Mariano Barbosa for the backup position.

Borrowing the phrase from tennis, a lucky loser is when a player "loses in the last round of qualifying but then gets an opportunity to play in the main draw due to a withdrawal," as explained by tennis player Irina Falconi, per the Herald Sun.

Instead of being called a lucky loser, Falconi said "Second Chance" or "Lucky Winner" were more fitting.

The latter two terms accurately describe how Rico feels.

In the space of five days, Rico went from playing in the Spanish third division for Sevilla Atletico—Sevilla's feeder team—to making his La Liga and Europa League debut.

Beto, Sevilla's hero after saving two penalties against Benfica in last season's Europa League final, was stretchered off due to a pulled hamstring in a 1-1 draw against Valencia, and he was replaced by Barbosa.

A cheap €150,000/£118,150 signing from Segunda Division club Las Palmas, Barbosa was tentative, did not command his box and looked unsteady.

To add insult to injury, Barbosa also strained his hamstring and is expected to be out until October 15, per Transfermarkt. 

Waiting on deck, Rico has answered the call. 

"He's [Rico is] a young guy with quality, although he lacks experience," Sevilla centre-back Daniel Carrico said, per Football Espana. "[However], he's very focused, working very well and we have a lot of confidence in him."

Rico is quickly earning trust among his Sevilla teammates after keeping back-to-back clean sheets in 2-0 wins over Getafe and Feyenoord.

He pulled off a pivotal save to deny Getafe substitute Fredy Hinestroza from equalising with Sevilla leading 1-0 in the 86th minute.

A minute later, right attacking midfielder Aleix Vidal scored to put Sevilla 2-0 up. 

"Keeping a clean sheet is a step forward [for Rico]," Sevilla manager Unai Emery said, per AS (h/t Football Espana). "There's always a beginning and Sevilla always looks to the cantera."

Despite being inches away from conceding when Feyenoord left-forward Jens Toornstra's free-kick crashed on to the post, Emery continues to bestow praise upon Rico. 

"We've gained something important with him [Rico] in goal—two games and clean sheets," Emery said, per Heath Chesters at Inside Spanish Football. "He's made important steps towards being the future Sevilla goalkeeper."

Though, Emery added a disclaimer to what appeared to be a vote of confidence in Rico: "He has to keep going with that in mind."

Credit: LigaBBVA.com.

Goalkeeper	Nation	Age	Height	Weight
Beto	Portugal	32	5'11"	176 lbs
Mariano Barbosa	Argentina	30	6'3"	176 lbs
Sergio Rico	Spain	21	6'4"	198 lbs

Rico should keep his No. 1 position because he:

• Is Spanish and from Sevilla's cantera.
• Is more physically imposing than Beto and Barbosa.
• possesses high upside as a 21-year-old and could be turned into a Sevilla cash-cow like Alberto Moreno, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Jose Antonio Reyes, Julio Baptista, Sergio Ramos, et al., who were all sold before their 24th birthday.
• has done nothing wrong to be benched.

In the past, Emery has a track record of chopping and changing goalkeepers.

When he was managing Almeria, he gave rookie goalkeeper Diego Alves, then an unproven 22-year-old Brazilian, an extended starting run, to the chagrin of former Real Madrid goalkeeper David Cobeno, who was on loan at the time. 

Cobeno's hapless demise became a cautionary tale for then-Sevilla (now Real Valladolid) goalkeeper Javi Varas, per Football Espana:

"

I follow the example of David Cobeno when he went on loan to Almeria from Sevilla. Cobeno could not play in the game against Sevilla because of such a clause.

Diego Alves came into the team, played a good game and look what happened after.

That game cost Cobeno his place in the team.

"

Though, Rico's fortunate situation is more akin to then-Valencia (now Getafe) goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, per Simon Hart at UEFA's official website: "Guaita, deputising for the injured Cesar Sanchez and Miguel Angel Moya, made a series of important stops [against Manchester United]."

"We had to take a gamble on Vicente Guaita," Emery said, per Hart's UEFA article. "But he confirmed just how far he has developed in his position."

The comforting fact for Rico is Alves and Guaita are still top-flight goalkeepers, so Emery is an accurate judge of goalkeeping talent. 

Rico's intangibles are that of a fighter, a la Beto, per FIFA's official website: 

"

I said to myself: 'I love doing this but I'm just not getting a chance. I'm going back to my studies.'

I was looking for a future outside the game, but we got promoted with Leixoes and things took a turn for the better.

Then Porto came in for me, but my father died on the day I signed. All the same, I said to myself: 'I'm not going to stop fighting for my dream.'

Things started working out for me after that.

"

Thirteen years after staring down the barrel of a mundane nine-to-five job, Beto could be permanently replaced by Rico, an up-and-coming goalkeeper with a desperate-to-impress mindset comparable to a young Beto.

@allanjianga

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