Goalkeepers are the most underrated yet one of the most crucial players in a football team. While a great goalkeeper can win a game for their side, a poor one can be a liability for the defence.
Even though the forwards and midfielders grab the limelight with their goals and assists, there have been quite a few unforgettable and match-winning performances from goalkeepers in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
Here, we take a look at some of the greatest goalkeeping displays in UCL history.
Petr Cech
2011/12 UCL Final | Chelsea FC 1-1 FC Bayern Munich (Chelsea won 4-3 on penalties)
Even though Chelsea went into this final with quite the momentum after beating Barcelona in the semis, they were without their talisman and captain John Terry, with Ryan Bertrand playing as a make-shift midfielder. Their run to the final was a miraculous one under interim manager Roberto Di Matteo.
However, it was their goalkeeper Petr Cech who produced a goalkeeping masterclass in the final, making a total of six saves in the game. The Czech goalkeeper denied Arjen Robben in normal time and also saved two penalties from Ivica Olic and Bastien Schweinsteiger in the shootout to hand the Blues their first Champions League title.
Thibaut Courtois
2021/22 UCL Final | Real Madrid CF 1-0 Liverpool FC
This was a game in which Thibaut Courtois stood like an absolute wall against a Liverpool forward line boasting the likes of Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah, whose efforts went in vain in front of the Belgium stopper that night at the Stade de France.
Courtois kept out a massive 2.19 xG worth of chances with nine saves, pushing in the process his team across the line towards an astounding 14th UCL title. It was a refreshing change as a goalkeeper won the Player of the Match award in a Champions League final.
Courtois also won the Yashin Trophy for his terrific performances that year.
Jerzy Dudek
2004/05 UCL Final 2005 | Liverpool FC 3-3 AC Milan (Liverpool won 3-2 on penalties)
The “Miracle of Istanbul” that took place at the Atatürk Stadium in Türkiye saw not just six goals scored in regular time but a goalkeeping performance for the ages from Liverpool’s Polish goalkeeper, Jerzy Dudek.
Even though the Liverpool goalie conceded three goals in regular time, it was his unbelievable double save from close-range off Milan forward Andriy Shevchenko in extra time that took the game to penalties, during which he denied two Milan players to win the game for his team.
With this unforgettable performance, Dudek helped his teammates bring the Champions League trophy to Liverpool on the back of arguably the best comeback in the history of UCL finals.
Fraser Forster
2012/13 UCL Group Stage | Celtic FC 2-1 FC Barcelona
Celtic are a massive club in Europe with a huge fanbase, though they have struggled on the Champions League stage in recent decades.
However, there was one result where they shocked the world by beating Spanish giants Barcelona in a group stage match at home. All this was made possible due to their goalkeeper Fraser Forster being in sublime form. His performance away at Camp Nou had been superb; this one proved to be even better.
Forster made many fine saves during the game, but a late, close-range save from Lionel Messi stood out. Tony Watt, who scored the winner for Celtic, took away the plaudits in the media, but even Messi praised Forster after the match for his incredible shot-stopping performance that night.
Joe Hart
2014/15 UCL Round of 16 | FC Barcelona 1-0 Manchester City FC
This was a game which Manchester City lost to Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Round of 16, though Joe Hart’s heroics in goal are still remembered.
The English goalie was in inspired form on the night to deny Barça the win by a bigger, more embarrassing margin. He made ten saves in total, the most by any English goalkeeper in the competition. His one-on-one saves against Lionel Messi were remarkable, and even though City were ultimately knocked out, this was a performance worthy of being called one of the best in UCL history.
Keylor Navas
2020/21 UCL Round of 16 | Paris Saint-Germain FC 1-1 FC Barcelona
This should have been a straightforward game for PSG with a 4-1 lead, but an inspired Messi-led Barcelona turned up in the French capital to overturn it.
However, Keylor Navas was up to this massive task and ended up making an astounding ten saves to deny Barça any opportunity, even denying Messi from the penalty spot.
Manuel Neuer
2007/08 UCL Round of 16 | FC Porto 1-0 FC Schalke 04 (Schalke won 1-4 on penalties)
Manuel Neuer is celebrated as the ideal modern-day goalkeeper and a legend for club and country. However, this particular performance did not come with Bayern, but with Schalke.
Playing against Porto in the away leg, Neuer produced a performance that was indicative of his class, a breakthrough moment for the German goalie. He made astounding point-blank saves one after the other to deny the Primeira Liga side. His most memorable save on the night was the one-palm save off Lisandro López’ header from close range. Neuer stepped up again in the penalty shootout, saving two penalties from Bruno Alves and López to knock Porto out in splendid fashion.
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Petr Cech
2011/12 UCL Semi-final | FC Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea FC
The Chelsea goalkeeper features once again on this list thanks to his inspiring performance in the semi-final at Camp Nou that sent Chelsea to the final in Munich.
Led by Di Matteo, no one gave Chelsea a chance to beat Barcelona away from home. Once they were reduced to ten men, there seemed to be no hope for the Blues against a prime Barça side with the likes of Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi Hernández.
And yet, the Czech shot-stopper prevented a demolition job with his multiple saves. His performance proved vital as striker Fernando Torres scored a late equalizer to take Chelsea through to the final. This performance gave Cech the confidence he’d need to produce his aforementioned masterclass in the final.
Alisson Becker
2018/19 UCL Group Stage | Liverpool FC 1-0 SSC Napoli
Alisson Becker turned Liverpool’s saviour in this group stage encounter at home, in which Liverpool had to win by a one-goal margin to make it through to the Round of 16. Napoli, on the other hand, were trying to score to go through as well.
Liverpool took their lead through Mo Salah. Becker was on song the entire game and made plenty a save against the Italian team, denying them an equaliser.
The most magical moment arrived in stoppage time, when Alisson imposed himself and got a fingertip on a Dries Mertens shot to divert the ball on to the post to the disbelief and dismay of the Napoli supporters. It proved to be a huge moment in the context of the season as Liverpool went on to win their sixth Champions League title.
Gianluigi Buffon
2021/22 UCL Group Stage | FC Barcelona 0-3 Juventus FC
When we talk about great goalkeeping performances, Gianluigi Buffon’s name has to appear at some point. He proved yet again that age is just a number when Juventus played Barcelona in a group stage encounter away at Camp Nou during the 2021/22 season.
Aged 42, Buffon brought his A-game to the party, denying Lionel Messi an incredible seven times that night. A game that was being watched on for the Ronaldo-Messi rivalry ended up seeing the evergreen goalkeeper hogging the limelight as The Old Lady ran away with a 3-0 score line against the Blaugrana.
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