Mike Maignan has been perhaps the most important player for Milan since he recovered from his injury earlier this year. The games against Napoli were two excellent examples of this, and he has received praise from the gaffer.
The Frenchman made several crucial saves in the first leg, including a fantastic reflex one in the dying minutes, and in the second leg he saved a penalty. In short, he was crucial in Milan advancing to the semi-finals of UCL.
During today’s press conference, which you can read in full here, Stefano Pioli was asked about the importance of Maignan. As you would expect, the gaffer only had praise for the former Lille goalkeeper.
“All important teams have champions, and champions make the difference. Mike is a champion in everything, his importance is undeniable. He’s among the most important in the team,” he stated.
Many consider Maignan to be top two in the world currently, with Thibaut Courtois being the other goalkeeper. He has shown enough and more to earn such a high status and Milan can only be delighted with his progress.
