Anointed by the retiring France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris as one among an array of successors, AC Milan's Mike Maignan will get a chance on Wednesday night in the Champions League to highlight his big match credentials ahead of rivals Alban Lafont and Brice Samba.
Maignan's side play in north London against Tottenham Hotspur in the return leg of their Champions League last-16 tie nursing a 1-0 advantage from the game at the San Siro.
The game will be Maignan's third match since returning from a five-month injury lay-off.
His first outing on 26 February against Atalanta was greeted with rapturous applause at the San Siro.
The acclaim might have demoralised Ciprian Tatarusanu who had replaced the 27-year-old since last year.
But it was not unexpected. Maignan moved to Milan in the summer of 2021 after heroic performances in Lille's title-winning team.
At the end of the 2022 season, Maignan was able to brandish a Serie A crown – Milan's first since 2011. He also took the personal accolade of best goalkeeper in the division.
But the fairy tale turned nightmarish last September. He injured his calf during France's 2-0 win over Austria in the Nations League and then aggravated the problem the following month.
Mike Maignan will miss the World Cup after Milan coach Stefano Pioli confirms his calf injury will keep him out until 2023.#WorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/Jxgl7knYuy
— Eme Sports (@eme_sports) October 21, 2022
"He was the best goalkeeper last season," said Milan boss Stefano Pioli when he announced Maignan's return.
Milan warmed up for the trip to Tottenham with a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina on Saturday while Tottenham – without the injured Lloris – lost 1-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“I think the game against Milan ... if we can turn it around … it could change our season and give us a little bit more confidence,” said the Tottenham forward Son Heung-min.
Both sides need a fillip. Tottenham are vying for a berth for next season's Champions League.
They lie fourth in the Premier League with 45 points after 26 games. But that slot is under severe threat.
Hunt
Liverpool and Newcastle United trail by three and four points respectively with games in hand. Milan are fighting with city rivals Inter, Lazio and Roma in the vapour of the runaway leaders Napoli.
“The game at Tottenham will be a game where we have to show our personality," said Pioli.
"Tottenham can be a fearsome force offensively, they will play with great intensity and we must be prepared to control the game more.
"We have a very small advantage but we cannot think of relying on it. We have to attack and play with intensity.”
Should Maignan excel on Wednesday night, he is likely to be the first choice of France coach Didier Deschamps for the 2024 European championship qualifiers against the Netherlands and Ireland this month despite Samba's sterling performances in Lens' rise to fourth in Ligue 1 and Lafont's solidity during Nantes' defence of the Coupe de France and battle to steer clear of the relegation zone.
"It's time for the others to take their chance," said Lloris in the interview in January with the French sports newspaper L'Equipe in which he announced his international retirement to concentrate on his club football with Tottenham.
"I wish them all nothing but the best," added the 36-year-old.
Largesse indeed. Though it's unlikely to flow towards Maignan for a couple of hours in north London this evening.
