An outstanding act by Stefan Ortega Moreno secured Manchester City’s lead in the championship battle against Tottenham. Can the ex-Bielefeld man also impress in FC 24
Some soccer fans must have been rubbing their eyes in the summer of 2022 when Stefan Ortega Moreno’s move to Manchester City was announced. After strong performances in the top flight, it was already clear that the long-serving Bielefeld player could no longer be kept after Arminia’s relegation from the Bundesliga and the end of his contract. However, the fact that none other than Pep Guardiola made an effort to acquire the German-Spaniard and wanted him as a replacement for Ederson in his own ranks came as a surprise to some.
Almost two years later, however, this irritation has faded and the move to Manchester has paid off for both the now 31-year-old and the Sky Blues. The latest highlight of an outstanding number two: a possibly championship-saving save against Tottenham. Shortly before the end, Ortega Moreno found himself 1-0 up against Heung-Min Son, whose almost certain equalizer he was able to avert with a strong reflex
Reflexes and drives top – crosses a problem
So it’s no wonder that reflexes are also a real strength for his virtual counterpart in the career mode of FC 24. EA SPORTS gives the goalkeeper, who has a total rating of 79, 84 points in this category – the second-best score in Ortega Moreno’s portfolio. Only his rating in terms of shots is even better. An 86 here underlines another quality that the former Armine repeatedly demonstrates on the pitch: his opening.
Ortega Moreno’s attributes for piking (76) and positional play (79) are not quite as good. Due to the weakest goalkeeper value of his avatar, safety (73), and his height of only 1.85 meters, crosses and high balls of all kinds are therefore among the goalkeeper’s biggest problems in FC 24.
While this was still manageable in previous parts of the soccer simulation, it is a real handicap in the latest installment of the series. This is because crosses to tall attackers, preferably equipped with the PlayStyle+ “In the air”, are part of the meta. It is therefore helpful to have a physically present goalkeeper who can safely intercept the ball in aerial duels and defuse headers with aerial saves
How Ortega Moreno works best in FC 24
Nevertheless, Ortega Moreno can also be a reinforcement in FC 24 – if the style of play fits. In a possession-oriented approach, you have a reliable first point of contact in the build-up on both sides with the Hesse-born player thanks to his four stars for the weak foot. If the team also stands tall and rarely has to defend against crosses, his weakness in these areas is less of an issue. Instead, he can use his strong reflexes to play to one of his strengths on potential counter-attacks, which a high line repeatedly faces. Just like in real life
