Navas-Donnarumma – Bernard Lama validates the alternation before PSG-Real: “It is logical that the positions are doubled”

“It’s a system that ensures the competitiveness of goalkeepers at all times in a season that has around fifty games.. You are sure to always have a good goalkeeper whatever the matchslice the former French international goalkeeper. It is logical that all positions are doubled in a club like PSG which aims for the highest peaks. There was far too much of a gap between Keylor Navas and Sergio Rico (Editor’s note: loaned this winter to Mallorca).”

Author of an XXL 2020-21 season with Paris Saint-Germain, Keylor Navas (35) has however seen the young European champion goalkeeper (22), crowned best player of the Euro, land in the heart of the ‘summer. The capital club jumped at the chance as Gianluigi Donnarumma came to the end of his contract with AC Milan.

“Obviously this situation should not make Keylor Navas happy, especially since he had just resigned (note: in April 2021 until June 2024), specifies the 1998 world champion. Put a very high-level goalkeeper in front of you, who has just won the European championship, you can imagine that it is not to leave him on the sidelines. His ego took a hit, it’s logical and human. Afterwards, I don’t know how the club really handled the file, whether they took care to warn them beforehand or not..”

Because at the time (1992-97, then 98-00) when he was the last unbreakable rampart of PSG, Bernard Lama was “always consulted before“when the capital club wanted to sign a new goalkeeper.”We were not in the same policies at the time on the sporting levelunderlines the former Parisian, who had Luc Borrelli, Richard Dutruel, Vincent Fernandez and Dominique Casagrande as understudy. I said what I had to say and the leaders did what they had to do. Today, we have two very great goalkeepers who do not have the same career trajectory in terms of age..”

At Real Madrid, Keylor Navas has already been challenged by a younger goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois (note: six years apart), despite his three Champions Leagues won under Zinédine Zidane. During the 2018-19 season, his last with the Merengue, the Costa Rican played 21 matches in all competitions (including 10 in La Liga). “It’s not that he was bad but Real felt the other keeper had more potential. And it’s the same with Gianluigi Donnarummanote Bernard Lama. It’s logical that PSG made this deal, knowing that there was a 35-year-old goalkeeper with sometimes physical problems in the shoulders and that’s never very good. So they anticipated and are quiet with their keepers.”

Bernard Lama therefore validates the alternation. On one condition. “What is important is that in the event of a bad performance, the goalkeeper is not out because otherwise you can reach him psychologically, concludes the former Rennais. Both have the opportunity to play and show what they can do at this level. It’s not like one is on the sidelines and waiting for the other to get injured or suspended. ” Keylor Navas and Gianluigi Donnarumma therefore continue to chain. Until the moment when Mauricio Pochettino, or even his successor, decides to decide definitively?