Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud was forced to play as a goalkeeper for his side AC Milan after Mike Maignan was sent off in a Serie A match against Genoa.
Another ex-Chelsea man Christian Pulisic had found the back of the net in the 87th minute to give AC Milan a narrow lead that they desperately need to protect to ascend to the summit of the standings.
However, as Milan aimed to run down the clock, goalkeeper Mike Maignan found himself in a precarious situation after making contact with Caleb Ekuban using his knee.
This incident was referred to VAR, and after careful review, it was deemed a serious foul play, resulting in a straight red card for Maignan.
With just minutes remaining and no substitutions left at Stefano Pioli’s disposal, Giroud donned Maignon’s gloves and took his position between the sticks.
Witnessing the 37-year-old in a goalkeeper’s jersey was a sight to behold, but little did fans know that Giroud was more than capable of being the last line of defense.
Genoa was pressing for an equalizer, and a high ball was played over the AC Milan defense, heading toward an attacking player.
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However, Giroud fearlessly dashed off his line to intercept the ball with his hands, securing it safely to his chest.
The drama continued as Genoa’s goalkeeper was also shown a red card in the 103rd minute for a reckless challenge on Fikayo Tomori while going up for a corner kick.
Fortunately for Giroud, his crucial save proved enough to secure a victory for AC Milan, maintaining their position at the top of the Serie A standings as they headed into the international break.
