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PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Iván Jaime stunners see the Spaniard’s stock soar

“O Clássico” was one of the big highlights of Jornada 27 of the 2022/23 Liga Bwin season as Porto breathed life into the title race to upset division leaders Benfica in a typically tense encounter in Lisbon.

Arouca’s quite remarkable campaign continued via triumph over Marítimo, while another surprise package of the year Vizela also maintained their wonderful form by beating Santa Clara.

Hot on Vizela’s heels are Famalicão, a team that have put together a quietly impressive run to occupy the top half of the league. Their star man Iván Jaime was integral once again helping his side to a win at Paços de Ferreira, and the Spaniard is in focus as the PortuGOAL Figure of the Week. 

Signed for only €500,000 from Malaga’s reserve team, Iván Jaime has arguably been Famalicão’s best player of the last two seasons in particular, and certainly strongly in with a shout of being the most technically gifted. A creative attacking force that has been most commonly deployed on the left flank this campaign, his return from a serious injury earlier in the season has been a significant boost to his team.

A thigh problem kept him out for around eight months in 2022 but his recovery has been excellent, Jaime even appearing to eclipse his best form prior to the injury with a series of influential displays in Liga Bwin. His numbers have also significantly improved, his nine goals beating his 2020/21 and 2021/22 totals combined.

The latest of those strikes came in Saturday’s trip to Estádio da Capital do Móvel to face relegation-threatened Paços de Ferreira. Jaime’s fine form meant his place in the XI was guaranteed as Famalicão went about recovering from last weekend’s painful defeat to Arouca.

The home side went in front in the 34th minute through Hernâni, and if there was something of a hangover for Famalicão to overcome then they did so swiftly in equalising just seven minutes later, Venezuelan striker Jhonder Cádiz netting.

Jaime was quiet in the first period but came alive in sensational fashion in the second half of the match. With twenty minutes remaining the Spaniard completed the turnaround with a fantastically taken goal, collecting Alexandru Dobre’s pass to control and fire a terrific shot with the outside of his right foot past Paços keeper Igor Vekić.

Many of Jaime’s Famalicão goals have been of a similar artistry, but he outdid himself in sealing the victory with just a few minutes of normal time remaining. Left full-back Francisco Moura won possession high up the pitch before finding Jaime, who turned before unleashing a magnificent curling effort from distance beyond Vekić’s despairing dive.

A big result for Famalicão, their 3-1 success moved the team into the top half of the table to put any lingering worries of getting dragged into the relegation dogfight beyond logical reason.

If staying in Primeira Liga looks a formality for Famalicão now, keeping hold of Jaime looks anything but with division giants Porto and Sporting reported to be at the start of what must be a lengthy queue for the Spanish playmaker’s signature this summer.

Based on his current form, he certainly would not look out of place in either of the aforementioned bigger stages. You only need look at fellow Famalicão alumni Pedro Gonçalves and Manuel Ugarte to suggest that there could be plenty more to come from Iván Jaime just yet.

By Jamie Farr

@FRfutebolJamie