Tomorrow evening in the friendly match with South Africa, coach Deschamps should field the Rossoneri goalkeeper in Lille, in the stadium where he consecrated himself from the first minute.
It is not a question of “if”. But of “when”. That is the moment in which the custody of the “bleus” poles will be definitively handed over to Mike Maignan. In France they have been talking about it for some time now: “Magic” Mike overturned the hourglass a long time ago, ready to take on a leading role. In short, a designated owner, who up to now has had to deal with a hierarchy that sees him behind Hugo Lloris, 35 years old and therefore in the last segment of his career.
Hero
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Maignan pushes not only because he is ambitious and the national team is obviously a pride. He pushes because his performance in the Rossoneri pushes him. In terms of the club, his last two years have been fantastic: the French championship won in Lille, the Italian championship in the sights at Milanello. “Mike has excellent natural qualities – coach Deschamps told Sportweek a few months ago -. And even if in the national team he has two important goalkeepers in front of him in the future he will have a leading role. He has a physical strength that allows him to occupy a lot of space in the goal, it is difficult to find openings “. In short, the coach himself took care of setting the future for him and this round of friendlies gives Didier the opportunity to offer him an opportunity. From what filters from the withdrawal bleusin fact, tomorrow evening against South Africa there will be Mike in the goalposts.
Monsieur “clean sheet”
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The occasion is special not only because for Maignan it would be the second ever appearance with the national team (debut on 7 October 2020, again with Deschamps on the bench, in the friendly 7-1 win against Ukraine), but also for the location: the Pierre Mauroy stadium, city of Lille, which is the city and facility where the French champion graduated. Monsieur “clean sheet”, we could also call him: there were 19 in the last championship in Lille, while now they are 11. Better done only by Handanovic (Inter), Szczesny (Juve) and Rui Patricio (Rome). Merit of a defensive phase that Pioli was able to refine particularly, but also merit of some of his interventions in which the merit belonged only to him. Maignan will say goodbye to many old friends tomorrow evening, maybe he will experience a hint – understandable – of nostalgia, and then on Wednesday he will return to Milan. Where there is a team waiting for him that cannot do without him and wants to get their hands on the Scudetto again after eleven years of waiting. Yes, his hands: Mike on Milan put them there, and he put them there well. Now it’s up to do it in the national team.
March 28, 2022 (change March 28, 2022 | 16:35)
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