A former Gillingham goalkeeper has made headlines after a costly blunder in the UEFA Champions League.
Paulo Gazzaniga – who kick-started his professional career at Gillingham – was at fault for a goal that handed Paris St Germain a late winner against Girona.
It was a horrible end to an evening where he had earlier pulled off several top saves to keep Girona level.
Gazzaniga is the first-choice keeper for Spanish side Girona, who were playing in their first-ever Champions League match, away at PSG.
The game was goalless heading into stoppage-time but Gazzaniga let a cross squirm under his body and into the net.
Gazzaniga spent four years playing at Tottenham but was previously at Gillingham, where he played 20 games during the 2011/12 season before a big-money move to Southampton.
His move in the summer of 2012 helped finance a promotion push that year for the Gills and they won the League 2 title under Martin Allen.
His manager defended the Argentine keeper, saying: “Mistakes are part of the game and Gazzaniga made three incredible saves that saved us.
“Mistakes are forgivable, lack of attitude is not. That mistake (Gazzaniga’s) is mine. I congratulated him and he has all our confidence.”
The keeper joined the Gills, then managed by Andy Hessenthaler, in 2011, after being released by Valencia. He had progressed through their youth team but didn’t make a senior appearance.
Hessenthaler said at the time: “He’s an exciting prospect and could work out to be a gem.”
