Nikola Čavlina is a 21-year-old Croatian goalkeeper who currently plays for Lokomotiva Zagreb. The young ‘keeper who is a product of the Dinamo Zagreb academy has been putting in some impressive performances throughout the 2023/24 campaign.
Physically, Čavlina stands at 192 cm tall and has an athletic frame that lends itself to making swift movements across his penalty area when required. He is light on his feet and frequently demonstrates excellent acceleration off his line, it is worth noting that he does not hesitate when he feels he must close down an opponent and will come out quite a long way to really put his opponent under pressure. The 21-year-old also knows how to use his physical frame to narrow angles and make it very difficult for opponents to get clear goal-scoring opportunities.
Čavlina commands his area well and utilises the fact that he has developed a good rapport with his defensive line throughout games. He is to be very calm and composed, not easily flustered, communicating with his defence very effectively.
He looks confident when claiming crosses and has very good handling abilities. The Lokomotiva man tends not to punch the ball away as he much prefers to claim it when he can or palm it away to safety as a last resort. He has fantastic reactions and reflexes which allow him to make saves that we probably wouldn’t expect – for example, if a shot is fired at him through a crowded penalty area, he can adjust his position and use his reflexes to make the save in a split second.
Čavlina can distribute the ball very well which is an excellent attribute for a modern goalkeeper to possess. His short and mid-range passes are usually very accurate and find the intended target. Additionally, his long-range kicks are typically accurate and will reach a teammate, this can be put to excellent use to start counterattacks. He also demonstrates good vision and decision-making with his kicking, assessing who is the best option, before launching a long-range kick.
The 21-year-old’s physical profile and technical abilities as a goalkeeper suggest that he could act as a sweeper keeper and could potentially go on to play within the top five leagues in the future.
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