PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has heaped praise on Liverpool gloveman Alisson ahead of the two sides’ crucial Champions League clash in Paris on Wednesday night.
The Reds goalkeeper has been in fine form since his €75 million arrival from Roma last summer and Buffon has gone as far as to say that the Brazil no. 1 is currently one of the best three in the world in his position.
Is Buffon right about Alisson? Five key stats to know
- The €75 million fee that Liverpool splashed on Alisson made him the worlds most expensive ever goalkeeper until Chelsea signed Kepa Arrizabalaga weeks later.
- Alisson has helped Liverpool to the most clean sheets in the Premier League so far this season (8).
- He has the highest save rate of any other goalkeeper in the league (84%).
- His long ball accuracy of 49% is the second best in the English top flight.
- The Brazil international has conceded just 10 goals in 17 appearances this season.
Both Buffon and Alisson are expected to start Wednesday’s crunch clash at the Parc des Princes.
And it seems that legendary Italian goalkeeper Buffon believes that Alisson is the ideal modern day goalkeeper because of his ability with the ball at his feet.
“When I started playing the question you asked about goalkeepers was: How good are they with their hands? Now the question is how good are they with their feet?” Buffon told the Daily Mirror.
“There is no doubt that goalkeeping has evolved throughout my career, but for me a goalkeeper must concentrate on the fundamentals. At the same time you have to accept the role has changed and that more things are expected of the modern goalkeeper.
“Alisson is everything a modern goalkeeper needs to be. Liverpool have conceded very few goals this season – and he might be a new name for those in England but for me it is no surprise.”
The 40-year-old claims to have been watching Alisson for some time now and says the Brazil star has everything it takes to become one of the best goalkeepers in the game.
“I have been watching him for some years now and am a big admirer. He is comfortable with the ball, he is an excellent shot stopper and I see that he gives confidence to his defence,” Buffon added.
“He is one of the top three goalkeepers in the world right now and has everything to go on and be a great of his position.”
READ MORE: Six ways Liverpool have evolved this season
Where does Alisson rank among world’s best?
There was a lot of excitement surrounding Alisson’s arrival in the Premier League last summer and understandably so given his ability and style of play.
Buffon is correct when he says that goalkeepers these days must be very good with the ball at their feet and Liverpool have been crying out for a player like Alisson in between the sticks for some time.
Both he and Ederson of Manchester City are probably the best in the Premier League in terms of their ability on the ball, whilst Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen is someone that has improved in this respect during his time with the Catalan giants.
Manchester United’s David De Gea is regarded by many as the best goalkeeper in the world because of his impressive reflexes, an area where Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak is also known to thrive.
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was considered to be the worlds best for some time but has struggled with injury in recent years.
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