Thierry Henry labelled former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet as ‘outstanding’ after he helped Club Brugge create history in the UEFA Champions League.
On Wednesday night, the 34-year-old, who is yet to concede in this season’s Champions League, helped his side record a valuable and historic point against Atletico Madrid.
That point pushed Brugge into the knockout stages and meant that they are the only second Belgian team to progress past the group stages in the competition’s history.
What’s even more remarkable about those four points – and two clean sheets – picked up against Diego Simeone’s men is that Mignolet, who left Liverpool for £6 million in 2019 (Daily Mail), made 14 saves during both games.
That’s another record because no keeper, since 2003, has made as many saves against a single opponent during the same season of the competition without conceding (OptaJoe).
That was touched upon by legendary Premier League striker Thierry Henry, who had nothing but high praise for the rejuvenated star, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (12/10/22 at 10:25 pm)
“Simon Mignolet is here being happy because this is only the second time a team from Belgium is going through the group stage,” said Henry.
“He is actually happy because he made 14 saves (over two games). That’s why they are all going towards him to congratulate him because he was outstanding in the whole game.”
BEST FORM TILL LAST
In decades gone by, the perception was always that until goalkeepers reach their mid-30s, and beyond, will they hit the best form of their careers in between the sticks.
Manchester United legend Edwin van der Sar was a prime example of that, but in recent times, that has turned on its head.
Now, keepers are being thrown into the deep end at a very young age and thriving. Mignolet was 22 when he first started at Sunderland, before moving to Anfield, where he enjoyed some fruitful moments, but also some error-prone days.
In the end, they made the right call parting ways with him in 2019 because he is now producing some of the best performances of his career.
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