Even by his requirements, former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga has had fairly the week.
The 32-year-old has been thrust out and in of the highlight throughout a dramatic profession. Transferring from his hometown in Argentina to La Liga aspect Valencia aged 15, he spent a season because the backup at Gillingham in England’s fourth tier earlier than Southampton swooped in to take him straight to the Premier League. On December 1, 2012, he began at Anfield in opposition to Liverpool, barely a yr after sitting on the bench away at Macclesfield City.
Simply over a decade on — a mortgage to the Spanish second division, a giant transfer to Tottenham, and a solitary look for his nation later — Gazzaniga has nailed down a beginning berth at Girona, having performed a key function of their shock third-place end final marketing campaign.
Since he joined the Catalan membership in the beginning of the 2022-23 season, he has been the most effective shot-stopper within the Spanish high flight in accordance with Opta’s anticipated objectives on track (xGOT) mannequin, conceding nearly 13 objectives fewer than the standard of photographs he has confronted recommend the typical goalkeeper would.
Such success has not been with out its blips, nonetheless, none extra expensive than his error away at Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month. Letting a low cross squirm beneath his grasp, his last-minute howler — regardless of 5 saves within the match — value his crew a treasured level in Girona’s first Champions League recreation.
For UK readers:
PSG lastly break by means of Girona’s defence and take the lead within the ninetieth minute by means of Nuno Mendes! 📈
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/YRk42cqb0X
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) September 18, 2024
For U.S. readers:
Soccer will be merciless recreation. 💔
Heartbreak for Girona on their Champions League debut as Paulo Gazzaniga’s finest Rob Inexperienced impression arms PSG victory 🫣pic.twitter.com/ep7wE7J0v6
— Males in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) September 18, 2024
Redemption has been spectacular for Gazzaniga, nonetheless, holding out a penalty from Feyenoord’s Ayase Ueda in midweek, earlier than repeating the trick thrice this weekend.
Having saved considered one of his final 9 spot kicks, his miraculous efficiency in an important 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao leaves him 4 out of 4 this week alone.
With the assistance of goalkeeping skilled Matt Pyzdrowski, The Athletic breaks down Sunday’s extraordinary hat-trick of penalty saves.
An elite-level footballer, 12 yards from purpose, the goalkeeper pinned to his line and with no obstructions to their run-up or their contact with the ball, it’s little marvel that just about 75 per cent of penalties have been scored in La Liga final season; near 90 per cent within the Premier League.
The percentages are stacked in opposition to the goalkeeper and thoughts video games are normally the primary line of assault.
“Gazzaniga takes an aggressive strategy earlier than penalties in an try to throw off the shooter,” says Pyzdrowski. “Solely on the third penalty is he extra reserved and it’s seemingly as a result of he’d simply been penalised for time-wasting on the earlier try.”
As we will see beneath, Gazzaniga is fast to strategy the primary penalty-taker, Alex Berenguer, as he waits to step up, whereas team-mate Dani Vivian tries to face in the best way.
Gazzaniga is ordered again to his line by referee Juan Luis Pulido Santana shortly afterwards and once more 12 seconds later, testing the official’s persistence.
One minute and 7 seconds go between the penalty choice and the shot on purpose, gathered in by Gazzaniga as he guesses the right approach.
“It’s a superb save, he makes an important learn and instances his dive very nicely, in order to not give Berenguer an thought of which approach he’s going till the final second.”
The second penalty can be delayed by a coordinated crew effort. This time, Inaki Williams has one minute and 32 seconds to dwell on issues with the ball in his arms.
Because the protests fizzle out, Gazzaniga is once more the primary participant to strategy the taker, however this time David Lopez steps in for a chat with Williams after the ’keeper has been despatched again to his line.
Vivian is once more available to guard his penalty-taker, main Lopez out of the field in body three, earlier than Gazzaniga notices and turns straight round to strategy Williams as soon as extra.
Pulido Santana reaches the top of his tether and books the goalkeeper for his gamesmanship, a wry smile breaking out on his face.
Gazzaniga saves the penalty along with his trailing leg, a weak try down the center of the purpose, however is adjudged to have stepped off his line by VAR. A retake is ordered and Ander Herrera steps as much as take spot kick quantity three.
Trying again by means of the archives, former Manchester United midfielder Herrera had taken simply three penalties in his profession, whereas Berenguer had tried simply 4. How a lot goalkeeping homework may have probably come into play?
“It’s a mix of learning the shooter’s tendencies and analysing their approach; even with such little knowledge, the goalkeeper may have studied all the important takers,” says Pyzdrowski.
“Then it’s about utilizing the knowledge you have got and making your best option for that particular scenario and shooter.”
Herrera’s penalty is a equally poor try down the center, however Pyzdrowski praises Gazzaniga’s composure, getting himself set proper earlier than the ball is struck by planting his toes and crouching low, taking additional care this time to depart one boot behind the road.
“He strikes about quite a bit earlier than the penalty is struck, even pointing to his left to point to Herrera that’s the place he’s going to dive,” he says. “He does the whole lot he can to realize the higher hand and finally psyches the shooters out and makes the save”.
Final season, Gazzaniga made a forceful dive to both aspect in all six of the penalties he confronted; he saved only one, having been despatched the unsuitable approach thrice. Which will have been on the minds of each Williams and Herrera as they tried to position the ball down the center, however scuffed photographs allowed the goalkeeper to mood his momentum and save along with his toes.
In an ironic twist, Girona would nick a last-minute winner from the penalty spot, as all-time main goalscorer Christhian Stuani blasted the ball slightly below the gloves of Alex Padilla. This was a recreation received and misplaced from the spot.
Hours later, David de Gea made two penalty saves as Fiorentina beat AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A, one other goalkeeper whose profession has swung with the dramatic highs and crushing lows of soccer’s most punishingly unpredictable function.
Each have soared from zero to hero in current weeks, however that’s all a part of the job.
(High picture: Eric Alonso/Getty Photos)
