Pep Guardiola has defended Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson amid growing debate about the way modern keepers are judged, while also making it clear there is one area where he believes Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma cannot match his No.1.
Speaking about the demands placed on goalkeepers in top-level football, Guardiola insisted Ederson’s value cannot be reduced to a few headline mistakes, pointing to the Brazilian’s importance in how City build attacks and control games.
At the same time, the City manager acknowledged that Donnarumma offers qualities of his own, but stressed there is something the Italy international “cannot do like Ederson” when it comes to playing out from the back.
Guardiola’s comments come as the focus on goalkeepers’ distribution continues to grow, with elite sides increasingly expecting their keepers to act as an extra outfield player in possession.
While backing Ederson, Guardiola also made it clear that comparisons between the two goalkeepers should take into account the different strengths they bring, rather than judging them by isolated moments.
