Source:REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, goalkeepers in the Premier League have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the new official ball used this season, called the Puma Orbita Ultimate PL, calling it “more like a volleyball than a football” and fearing it will lead to a series of mistakes. Several Premier League goalkeepers told the media: “The ball moves unpredictably in the air,” “It’s extremely slippery,” and “It’s hard to control.” One goalkeeper said, “It’s more like a volleyball, it flies around in the air. Nike balls aren’t like that. I’ve never seen a ball like this. It’s too slippery and will definitely cause many errors.” Another goalkeeper even said: “This ball isn’t made for goalkeepers. I think it’s really scary. You won’t see many goalkeepers catching the ball firmly this season.” Puma became the official ball supplier for the Premier League after ending its 25-year partnership with Nike. In fact, even before the start of last season’s EFL Cup semi-final, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had criticized the ball for its “unpredictable flight path” and “no grip.” The EFL responded then by stating that “all clubs use the same ball.” In response, Puma emphasized at the launch of the new ball that professional players have an average of 109 seconds of possession per match, so when they have the ball, they must make it work and create moments that can change the game. However, so far, this “new ball” seems to have made goalkeepers extremely anxious.