AC Milan, the Italian Serie A club has signed up the French legendary striker, Olivier Giroud as one of the club’s goalkeepers after his brilliant save against Genoa.
On Saturday night, October 7, AC Milan were left with no choice but to improvise after their first-team goalkeeper Mike Maignan was shown a red card in the 98th minute after Milan had exhausted all their substitutes.
Maignan received the red card after the VAR spotted that he used his knee on Genoa’s Caleb Ekuban. Hence, an on-field player had to step in as a goalkeeper for the remaining part of the game.
Interestingly, Olivier Giroud who is known at Arsenal, Chelsea, and France national team as a top goal scorer was assigned the role of a goalkeeper.
Before the incident, AC Milan were already leading 1-0 at the Luigi Ferraris stadium courtesy of a goal from former Chelsea winger, Christian Pulisic in the 87th minute. Hence, Milan were making every effort to run away with a slim 1-0 victory.
In the 105th minute of the game, the home team had the best chance to score a very late equalizer when George Pușcaș charged forward looking to get on the end of a leading pass but the striker-turned-goalkeeper rushed off his line and threw a fist at the ball to punch it away – keeping Milan ahead.
Due to the unprecedented save, AC Milan have decided to register him as not just the club’s striker but one of the club’s goalkeepers via their website.
On the list of AC Milan’s goalkeepers, he was placed ahead of the club’s first-choice goalie Mike Maignan, followed by two backup goalkeepers – Antonio Mirante, and Lapo Francesco Maria Nava.