Is Juan Musso already a serious challenger to Jan Oblak at Atletico Madrid?

[p]"[b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/musso-juan/zB5O8dXn/"]Juan Musso[/a] is an important figure within the squad and the dressing room. He brings energy wherever it’s needed and contributes much more than just his goalkeeping skills[/b]." Diego Simeone didn’t hesitate to praise his keeper on March 2, ahead of the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Barca.[/p][p]Having had an excellent season as the team’s number two, the Argentine has recently shown he’s fully capable of challenging [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oblak-jan/SYy8ZHN9/"]Jan Oblak[/a][/b]. Consistent, agile, and a real asset for the team... Could he already be the alternative to the first-choice keeper, who’s under contract until 2028?[/p][h2]A clean sheet in his first four La Liga matches[/h2][p]He’s coming off an incredible Champions League match against [b]Tottenham.[/b] In [b]Oblak’s[/b] absence, the Argentine really stood out (8/11 saves), even though the team lost (3-2). A few weeks earlier, he had already impressed against Barcelona in the Cup (4/4 in the first leg, 6/9 in the return), and above all, he’s been solid in La Liga.[/p][p]Indeed, called upon to replace the Slovenian keeper recently in the league, Juan Musso has added another clean sheet in La Liga. He was outstanding against Getafe (3/3 saves), and had already caught the eye last year against Bilbao (1/1) and [b]Girona[/b] (1/1).[/p][embed guid="9d5d4818-43b0-45e5-9734-275636165eb5" url="https://x.com/Atleti/status/2034921804725190838" social-type="twitter" /][p]However, it’s this season where he’s really made his mark. Stepping out of Oblak’s shadow, he’s becoming more and more of a genuine alternative each week. According to him, it’s because he "[b]gives everything to help this team win and achieve the results they dream of[/b]."[/p][p]What’s more, his stats are better than his main rival’s this year. He’s conceding fewer goals and saving more shots on target. That’s a reassuring sign ahead of a busy end to March and a packed April for [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico[/a].[/b][/p][h2]A derby to confirm his status[/h2][p]The 31-year-old keeper faces another big test. This Sunday, he’ll play against [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a],[/b] with Oblak still sidelined by injury. While facing La Liga’s top teams is nothing new for a player who’s already featured in major Cup matches, it’s still a significant challenge.[/p][p]In the first derby of the season, Oblak was in goal. Back then, Atletico won convincingly (5-2), but the Slovenian didn’t particularly impress. In fact, his [i]Flashscore[/i] rating was just 5.8/10, as he posted a -1.30 goals prevented stat and faced 0.70 xGOT.[/p][embed guid="cdce04f3-6f54-4b75-8fef-19a3b27fa2fa" url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWC0P2eCFny/?img_index=1" social-type="instagram" /][p]Musso is therefore under the spotlight as he looks to keep up his strong run.[/p][p]While there’s no talk yet of him overtaking his senior in the goalkeeping hierarchy, he’s certainly shaking things up. [b]Simeone[/b] is very pleased with his work, his teammates congratulate him, and the fans are confident when he’s on the pitch.[/p][p]It’s up to him to deliver a strong end to the season and further strengthen his position as summer approaches.[/p]