The Argentine will not be a popular choice if he is confirmed as the Blues' starting goalkeeper in today's League Cup final, but he says he has not been affected by unhappy fans
Willy Caballero has a defiant message for the Manchester City fans who have campaigned for Joe Hart to start today's League Cup final against Liverpool: "I don't care!"
The backlash against Manuel Pellegrini's expected decision to start Caballero at Wembley gathered momentum one week ago, when the Argentine shipped five goals against Chelsea in an FA Cup drubbing.
Pellegrini handed five youngsters their debuts that day, and the 34-year-old saved an Oscar penalty, but City fans were unforgiving in their assessment of the goalkeeper and demanded that Hart be reinstated.
Their case was strengthened in midweek when the England No.1 made a superb save to keep City 2-1 up against Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine, a moment that proved pivotal as the Blues went on to extend their advantage and put a first ever Champions League quarter-final within touching distance.
Caballero, who has played every domestic cup match since joining City in 2014, has rarely inspired confidence when handed the gloves by Pellegrini, whereas Hart has demonstrated his ability in the Premier League and Champions League, not least in iconic performances against Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona on the biggest stage.
But Caballero looks set to retain the seemingly endless faith of his manager, with whom he also worked at Malaga, and he insists the calls for him to be dropped have had no impact whatsoever.
"Not at all," he told Goal exclusively when asked how the fan backlash has affected him. "I don’t care what people think. The one who has to say is the manager. I’m training every day, I’ve played all the games in the cup, and what the manager says is fine.
"It’s normal that people want Hart to play because he’s the No.1 goalkeeper, but if Manuel puts his confidence in me I have to try to play well."
Sunday's final would be the biggest game of Caballero's City career by far, having found opportunities difficult to come by in his 18 months at the club.
He arrived in 2014 after Hart had recovered from a low point in his own time at the Etihad Stadium to win over Pellegrini and establish himself as No.1. Despite a dip in form that resulted in the England goalkeeper being benched for six weeks, as the new manager and his coaching staff grew increasingly frustrated with his use of the ball and on-pitch mistakes, he would go on to dispel question marks about his suitability as first choice for club and country.
It means Caballero has played in just four Premier League matches, and never in Europe, in his 18 months at the Etihad, and he admitted on Friday that he finds it difficult playing second fiddle to Hart.
But he also insists that he has settled well and improved as a goalkeeper by working alongside the England international, as well as third choice Richard Wright, who has not played senior football since playing for Ipswich in 2011.
"I've learned a lot working with Hart and with Richard - I've learned a lot from him as well - and I've adapted well," Caballero added, with other reporters present
"It was a big change, between what it's like in Argentina, what it's like in Spain, what it's like in the Premier League, and I think my evolution here has been good."
What the 34-year-old has achieved in football as he approaches the final years of his career, he owes to Pellegrini. After moving to Europe with just a handful of appearances for Boca Juniors to his name, he was seven years into a spell with Spanish second division outfit Elche before getting a taste of the big time.
An injury crisis at Malaga, where Pellegrini was recovering after a bruising season at Real Madrid, presented an opportunity that the Argentine grasped with both hands - quite literally. Signed as an emergency transfer midway through the 2010-11 season, he went on to establish himself not only as No.1 at La Rosaleda, but as one of the best goalkeepers in Spain.
He set a Malaga record when he kept a clean sleet for 480 consecutive minutes in his first months at the club, and was even given the Hart treatment - rested for Copa del Rey matches - in his final season under Pellegrini.
He remained in Andalusia for another year as Pellegrini got to work in Manchester, but as Costel Pantilimon was shipped out after failing to dislodge Hart, Caballero earned his move to the newly crowned Premier League champions.
"Without doubt I owe him a lot, he is a big reason why I'm here," he said of Pellegrini. "In this type of game you can repay all that faith to him.
"I hope I can do that."
- Goal