The goal which ended City's remarkable Champions League record

Jack Ottman 6 years ago 1.4k
Diawara reduced the deficit as Napoli were defeated 2-1 by Man City in the Champions League. EFE

When Amadou Diawara scored against Manchester City goalkeeper from the penalty spot for Napoli, it brought to an end one of the most extraordinary runs in Champions League football.

Before Diawara's spot-kick, Manchester City had saved all of their previous six penalties awarded against them in the European competition, a run which stretches back over two and a half years.

What's even more remarkable, is that this feat was achieved by three different goalkeepers, Joe Hart started the run, then it was continued by Willy Caballero, before Ederson added the final save to the list.

The run was finally broken by Diawara during the group stage clash with Napoli, but it was not enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat to Etihad.

The list of players who saw their spot-kicks saved includes some of the great names of modern football, including Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and the run was started with one of the best of all time, Lionel Messi.

In the last minute of the first leg of their round of 16 clash on February 2015, Messi was denied the chance to add to Barca's 2-1 advantage by Joe Hart, and the Argentinian headed the rebound wide.

Hart came to the rescue once again the following season, when he saved Raffael's penalty in the 2-1 group stage victory over Monchengladbach in Germany.

Arguably the most important save came in the quarter final first leg against PSG in 2015-16, as City drew 2-2 and Hart kept out Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the spot. City won the return leg 1-0 and advanced to the semi-finals.

Willy Caballero then took the baton in the next season and made two saves, one against Neymar, in a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona at the Camp Nou, and the other from Radamel Falcao, in the enthralling 5-3 loss to Monaco in the round of 16 first leg.

Finally, Ederson added his name to the exceptional run by saving from Dries Mertens in the first half of the win over Napoli, but Diawara finally brought the run to an end with his second half spot-kick.

 

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