OFFICIAL: Olivier Giroud is included in Serie A's best XI of the week as KEEPER

How Giroud became Serie A’s best goalkeeper of the week

Olivier Giroud is known for his scoring abilities as a striker, but he proved that he can also be a reliable goalkeeper when he stepped in for AC Milan in their 1-0 win over Genoa on Saturday. The French forward took over the gloves from Mike Maignan, who was sent off in the seventh minute of stoppage time, and made a crucial save to preserve the clean sheet and the three points for his team.

Giroud’s heroics in goal were so impressive that he was included in the Serie A’s best XI of the week as a goalkeeper by the league’s official website¹. The 35-year-old also received praise from his teammates, his coach Stefano Pioli, and his former clubs Chelsea and Arsenal, who congratulated him on social media.

Giroud joined AC Milan from Chelsea in July 2021 and has scored four goals in seven league appearances for the Rossoneri. He has also been a key player for France, winning the World Cup in 2018 and scoring 46 goals in 113 caps for Les Bleus.

But Giroud showed that he is not only a prolific scorer, but also a versatile player who can adapt to any situation. He said that he had never played as a goalkeeper before, but he decided to volunteer when Maignan was shown the red card. He said that he was nervous, but he tried to stay calm and focused.

“I’ve never played as a goalkeeper before, not even as a kid,” Giroud told Sky Sport Italia². “I saw Mike get sent off and I said to myself ‘Who’s going to go in goal?’ I looked around and saw no one was volunteering, so I raised my hand and said ‘OK, I’ll do it.’” 

He added: “I was a bit stressed, I won’t deny it. I tried to stay calm, though, because the team needed me. I had to be ready for anything.”

Giroud had to face two dangerous situations in the final moments of the game. First, he watched helplessly as Albert Gudmundsson hit the crossbar with a free kick. Then, he rushed out of his goal to deny Gudmundsson again and Andreas Granqvist with two brave interventions.

“I saw the free kick hit the crossbar and I thought ‘Thank God’,” Giroud said. “Then I saw the ball coming back and I had to react quickly. I came out and managed to get there before the striker. It was a bit risky, but it worked out well.”

Giroud said that he was happy to help his team secure the victory and maintain their lead at the top of Serie A. He also said that he would keep the goalkeeper’s jersey as a souvenir of his memorable performance.

“It was a great feeling to hear the final whistle and celebrate with my teammates,” Giroud said. “It was a very important win for us. We showed great character and spirit. I’m proud of what we did.”

He added: “I’m going to frame the jersey and keep it as a memory of this incredible day. It’s something that will stay with me forever.”