Geronimo Rulli just put on an absolute clinic in the Carabao Cup against Brighton, saving two crucial penalties to send Manchester City through to the quarter-finals. The guy was a brick wall, but don’t get it twisted: manager Enzo Maresca isn’t shaking when it comes to his starting keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma. Despite Rulli’s phenomenal display, Maresca is sticking firm with his main man, even with Donnarumma’s form facing serious questions lately.
Rulli Steals the Show, Again
Let’s talk about Wednesday night. The match ended 2-2 in normal time, and it easily could’ve gone south if Rulli hadn’t pulled off a sensational fingertip save in the second half to deny Georginio Rutter. But the real drama? The shootout. Rulli, the 34-year-old veteran, dove full stretch to his left, denying Brighton’s Yasin Ayari and then Lewis Dunk on their final two penalties. The dude delivered! This isn’t even Rulli’s first rodeo as a shootout hero, either. Remember the 2021 Europa League final? He scored a penalty for Villarreal, then saved David de Gea’s to win the whole damn thing against Manchester United. If City fans weren’t already buzzing about him, they definitely are now. Rulli only returned to the club this summer from Marseille for a modest £1.7m, stepping in after James Trafford headed to Leeds for £45m. Sounds like a steal now, right?
Donnarumma’s Struggles and Maresca’s Unwavering Faith
Here’s the kicker: Rulli’s heroics are happening while Donnarumma’s form has been under a microscope. Folks have been questioning the Italy captain for weeks, and Maresca himself acknowledged that Donnarumma has been “making some mistakes,” including being at fault for Aston Villa’s second goal last weekend. You’d think Rulli’s performance would at least open the door, right? Nope. Maresca was crystal clear to BBC Sport, saying, “No, absolutely not from my point of view.” He added that Rulli “knows exactly his role, there is no doubt about that. Saturday it will be Gigio plus 10” for the upcoming Premier League game against, you guessed it, Brighton. Maresca even sent Donnarumma, along with Haaland, Dias, Anderson, and Gvardiol, off for three days to “recover the energy,” hoping he’ll come back rejuvenated. Even with Rulli’s overall performance being praised for his build-up play and handling Brighton’s aggressive, man-to-man defense, he’s back to the bench.
It’s a wild situation, isn’t it? Your backup keeper becomes a legend in a cup tie, your starter is struggling, and the manager is like, “Nah, we’re good.” All eyes are on that Premier League clash this weekend. Can Donnarumma shake off the doubts and prove Maresca’s faith is well-placed? Or will the calls for Rulli get even louder?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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