Champions League star forgotten at Liverpool, now showing why Benitez was right

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Liverpool fans may not remember much of Peter Gulacsi.

Liverpool have enjoyed a simply remarkable season under Jurgen Klopp, and look set to win the Premier League title when football returns from this pandemic-induced suspension.

Much like any club though, Liverpool have let some players go who are impressing elsewhere, with Conor Coady thriving at Wolves and Mikel San Jose entrenched as a favourite at Athletic Bilbao over the years.

Yet one former Liverpool player now finds himself in the Champions League quarter-finals, meaning he has managed to go one step further than the Reds this season.

Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi played a key role in RB Leipzig’s 4-0 aggregate win over Tottenham Hotspur in the last round, keeping two clean sheets to dump Spurs out.

The Hungarian, 29, is now one of Europe’s top goalkeepers, becoming a star in Germany having been something of a forgotten man during his time with Liverpool.

Rafael Benitez pounced to sign Gulacsi on loan from MTK Budapest in his native Hungary back in 2007, turning the move permanent a year later – but he never actually made an appearance for Liverpool.

Benitez even called Gulacsi ‘fantastic’ back in 2009, tipping Gulacsi for a bright future behind Pepe Reina and Diego Cavalieri, but that didn’t really materialise for him at Anfield.

Loan spells with Hereford United, Tranmere Rovers and Hull City did little to push Gulacsi into the limelight at Liverpool, and when he left for Red Bull Salzburg in 2013, it barely made headlines.

Yet after starring in Austria, Gulacsi has been untouchable for Leipzig. They signed young goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo in 2017, but he’s made just 11 appearances for the club because Gulacsi has been so good, keeping him out of the side.

Gulacsi has kept 50 clean sheets in 168 games for Leipzig, showing his quality as a goalkeeper whilst proving Benitez right, as he has become a truly fantastic stopper after all.

Maybe Liverpool just didn’t see it with him, or maybe Gulacsi needed that Liverpool exit to really find his best form. He may not be at Alisson’s level, but Gulacsi is showing that he is one of the top goalkeepers in the world – and few could have predicted that when he left Liverpool almost seven years ago.