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| cityofbirth = [[Pamplona, Spain|Pamplona]]
| cityofbirth = [[Pamplona, Spain|Pamplona]]
| countryofbirth = [[Spain]]
| countryofbirth = [[Spain]]
| height = {{height|m=1.93}}[http://www.skysports.com/football/player/0,19754,11670_231795,00.html]
| height = {{height|m=1.95}}[http://www.skysports.com/football/player/0,19754,11670_231795,00.html]
| position = [[Goalkeeper (football)|Goalkeeper]]
| position = [[Goalkeeper (football)|Goalkeeper]]
| currentclub = [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]
| currentclub = [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]

Revision as of 12:43, 23 July 2008

Manuel Almunia
Personal information
Full name Manuel Rivero Almunia
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 1

Manuel Rivero Almunia (born May 19, 1977 in Pamplona) is a Spanish football player who currently plays for English Premier League club Arsenal as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Early career

Almunia made his professional debut with Spanish side Recreativo de Huelva. He then joined Celta Vigo, where he spent nearly a year without making a first team appearance, before moving to Albacete Balompié on a loan deal on November 1 2003, forging his way quickly into the first team squad and making 24 league appearances.

He signed for Arsenal for an undisclosed fee on July 14, 2004.[1] He made his debut in a 2-1 League Cup win over Manchester City on October 27, 2004. He played in all the Gunners' League Cup matches that season, including the quarter-final against Manchester United on December 1 2004; Almunia fumbled a save from David Bellion after 19 seconds, gifting him the only goal of the game.

Previously he was usually selected as Arsenal's goalkeeper for Cup matches, where he had been able to show his penalty-stopping abilities, including in a win over Sheffield United in the 2004-05 FA Cup, where Almunia made two saves in a penalty shootout after the game finished 0-0, to take the Gunners through to the quarter-finals. Another successful shootout win with Almunia in goal came at Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup in 2005-06.

In the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona, Almunia started on the bench but came on as a substitute after Jens Lehmann was sent off. Almunia made a crucial save early on, tipping Samuel Eto'o's shot onto a post. However, Almunia could not keep Barcelona at bay; late in the second half, Eto'o was put clean through and beat Almunia at his near post with the equaliser, and with 10 minutes left Juliano Belletti poked the ball through Almunia's legs to score the winner. However he got an extended run in the first team at the start of the 2007/08 season due to Lehmann making two high profile mistakes. Almunia's subsequent performances allowed him to maintain his spot in the first team, winning over the fans with some high level performances with a penalty save against Robbie Keane being the highlight. He is currently Arsenals first choice goalkeeper and Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Almunia will remain Arsenal's first choice for next season.

Almunia was a permanent fixture of Arsenal's 2006/7 FA Cup and League Cup runs, playing in the final of the latter. In his only league appearance that year, deputising for an ill Jens Lehmann at home to Liverpool, he kept a clean sheet. Overall, he seemed much improved from previous outings. After Jens Lehmann's multiple injuries at the start of the 2007/8 season, Almunia has once more found himself deputising for Lehmann in the league. However, he has abruptly become Arsene Wenger's first choice goalkeeper at the expense of the veteran shot stopper. On 23 October 2007, Lehmann publicly showed his anger by saying that he has to talk soon if his manager would not let him play as the first choice goal keeper. Despite Jens Lehmann confirming he wants to stay at the club, it is apparent Almunia has become Arsenal's permanent first choice goalkeeper. He cemented the job when he saved a Robbie Keane penalty at the Emirates in a 2-1 win over Spurs on 22 December 2007.

Almunia has also been touted as a future first-choice England goalkeeper due to his solid form this season (07/08). Almunia has stated on more than one occasion about his wish to play for England, but only provided that he doesn't receive a call up from Spain first. However, he isn't eligible to play for England until he receives a British passport, which will be made available to him on 29th December 2008. On April 3rd, Almunia signed a long-term(unspecified) contract with Arsenal. He will take the No 1 shirt from the departed Jens Lehmann for the upcoming season.

He lives in a large mansion in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, which is rumoured to be haunted by ghosts. This matter was joked about on BBC 2's Mock the Week, with regular contestant, Andy Parsons, saying that 'if Almunia is scared of white things that fly through the air, he shouldn't really be a goalkeeper, should he.'

Career honours

Arsenal

References

  1. ^ "Almunia joins Arsenal". BBC Sport. 2004-07-14. Retrieved 2007-05-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)


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