Former Fiorentina and Inter goalkeeper Sebastien Frey was impressed with Mike Maignan’s wonderful save against Ireland but didn’t miss the opportunity to praise himself as well.
The 27-year-old Milan shot stopper has become the new number one for Les Bleus, replacing long-term captain Hugo Lloris. He played a key role in the Rossoneri’s Scudetto success last season, but could not take part in the World Cup due to a calf injury.
Maignan draw plaudits for his sensational save in the dying minutes of France’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ireland, allowing them to edge out a 1-0 win after his match-defining stop in the 90th minute.
Speaking on Twitch.tv, Frey gave his thoughts on Maignan’s quality and the style of goalkeeping in Italy, which immediately caused controversy with some Milan fans.
“I don’t know if Maignan is number one in the world. He certainly made a beautiful save against Ireland, but I managed to do some more beautiful and flashy ones.
“It is difficult to find a goalkeeper who comes out of the box in the Italian league, the level is much lower. When I played there were Peruzzi, Toldo, Buffon…”
In addition to his great save against Ireland, Maignan was also praised for saving a penalty in France’s 4-0 win over the Netherlands, immediately showing why he’s the right choice to replace Lloris.