Barcelona is currently in second place in the 2014-15 La Liga standings behind only Real Madrid. While everyone is focusing on Lionel Messi and Neymar, arguably the biggest reason Barcelona is having such a great year is because of their goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo.

Bravo has been nothing short of spectacular this season between the pipes.

This season Bravo has allowed just 14 goals in his 24 starts, thus giving him a league-leading 0.58 goals against average. Bravo has not only done a great job of keeping the ball out of the net, but he has not missed a single minute of play yet this year.

Thirty-one-year-old Bravo has a La Liga-high 14 shutouts this year and counting.

The goalkeeper who finishes with the lowest goals against average is awarded the " Ricardo Zamora Trophy," an annual honor that has been handed out since 1928. It was named after the famous Spanish goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora, who spent his playing career with Espanyol, Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is also important to note that the winning goalkeeper must play at least 26 games to qualify for the award.

The only other goalkeepers who are somewhat close to Bravo's accomplishments this year are Iker Casillas and Diego Alves.

Casillas previously won the Ricardo Zamora Award in 2008 after allowing just 32 goals in 36 matches. This season Casillas has been playing well for Real Madrid appearing in 22 games and allowing 20 goals in the process. Casillas can't match Bravos' playing time or goals against average mark, but he does have the second most shutouts in the league with 11.

Valencia's own Diego Alves is having a very underrated season. Alves ranks second in goals against average, 0.78, and he has started all but one game this year. Valencia is currently in fourth place in the La Liga standings behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Alves has a bit of a tougher task than Bravo because he does face more shots on goal.

Bravo has represented his home nation of Chile quite well. In each of the last two FIFA World Cups, Bravo was selected as the starting goalkeeper and team captain. In both tournaments, Bravo led Chile into the round of 16. Unfortunately, both times he fell to Brazil in the end. Bravo has allowed just nine goals in his eight career World Cup games.

The biggest reason Barcelona is still just four points behind Real Madrid in the standings is because they've been able to keep the ball out of the net. Barcelona has scored seven fewer goals than Real Madrid this year, but has allowed eight less.

Barcelona will always go as far as Messi takes them, but when their starting goalkeeper hasn't missed a single minute of action and still has conceded the fewest goals in the league, it's time to give credit where credit is due.

And for that we say, Bravo.

La Liga top 3 goalkeepers as of Week 24

1. Claudio Bravo: 0.58 GAA, 14 shutouts
2. Diego Alves: 0.78 GAA, 7 shutouts
3. Iker Casillas: 0.91 GAA, 11 shutouts

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