‘We can’t change just because we’re playing in a final’: Defiant Ederson insists he will NOT change his flamboyant style in the Champions League final… despite Man City’s Treble bid resting on Inter Milan clash
- Ederson’s brilliant footwork has been a feature of City’s recent domination
- But the flip side is the Brazilian sometimes leaves City fans with hearts in mouths
- Despite this, Ederson has vowed to stick to his trusted approach in Istanbul
Manchester City No 1 Ederson has vowed not to change his flamboyant style for Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan even though the Treble is at stake as well as his own personal place in history.
Ederson’s brilliant footwork – and occasional risk-taking – has been a feature of City’s domination under Pep Guardiola and success this weekend would see him join Peter Schmeichel and Petr Cech as the only goalkeepers in the Premier League era with a clean sweep of the major trophies.
The flip side is the 29-year-old Brazilian sometimes leaves fans with hearts in mouths if his distribution goes wrong, but he’s adamant he won’t be changing now despite approaching the biggest match of his career in Istanbul.
‘We need to keep playing the same way. We can’t change just because we’re playing in a final,’ vows the popular ‘keeper who dyed his hair blue to celebrate City’s recent Premier League title – his fifth.
‘We have to show the personality to play, to have the ball at our feet, to find passes. Making mistakes is part of being a footballer, including goalkeeper. It is possible in the first game of the season or last but we have to keep the same personality.
Ederson has vowed not to change his flamboyant style in Saturday’s Champions League final
The Man City keeper’s brilliant footwork can sometimes leave fans with hearts in mouths
City are set to go head to head with Inter Milan in the Champions League final this weekend
Ederson can join Petr Cech (left) and Peter Schmeichel (right) as the third goalkeeper in the Premier League era to win every major trophy
‘Any City keeper needs to be calm. A lot of teams try to pressure us so you need to get the ball under control and have the vision to find the right pass, even if you misplace the pass.
‘I remember a game against Tottenham where I misplaced a pass and it led to a goal. I said to my team-mates after it happened “You can still pass to me” because errors are part of the process.
‘They help us grow. You can learn a lot more from making a mistake than doing things right or from winning so I always try to keep calm and my team-mate know they can play the ball to me and that I’ll make the right decision.’
Ederson has transformed City since arriving from Benfica at the end of Guardiola’s first season.
Fans loved the new look when he raised the league trophy after the final home game against Chelsea and he reveals it was his six-year-old daughter’s idea, and one that could be repeated if City win their first Champions League.
‘My daughter asked me to dye my hair blue for that. It was a kid’s spray that comes out with water,’ he laughs.
Despite the potential achievements up for grabs, Ederson has no plans to change his style
The City goalkeeper has also vowed to dye his hair blue again if they prevail out in Istanbul
‘Of course, if we are champions again, I’ll dye my hair blue again, but only with the kid’s spray that comes out with water – nothing permanent! I’m not sure if the other players will do the same, there are some who don’t have hair!’
Ederson has won the Premier League Golden Glove for most clean sheets on three occasions but admits to studying penalties in case Inter take City the full distance.
The Brazilian hasn’t saved a penalty for two years and has conceded all five he’s faced this season.
‘Of course we will work on every requirement; finishing, crosses, and penalties,’ he says.
‘In this game we need to be prepared for any circumstance over 90 minutes or 120 or a penalty shoot-out if necessary. We need to be ready for any situation so that nothing surprises us.
‘We’ve been working for a long time for this. You don’t always win in football and the players who have been here over the last five or six years have learnt a lot in defeat: they hurt but they make us grow.
‘It’s not just me but every player has a great desire to prepare well for this final and give their all to win this title.’
Celebrations after winning the league and FA Cup were enjoyable, if brief. ‘In these moments of victory, you have to celebrate, enjoy it, drink to it. It’s very difficult to work for ten or eleven months without celebrating a title so when the moment comes you have to do it in the best way possible,’ he acknowledges.
‘So we’ve had a rest, the players have made the most of it and now we are totally focused on the next game, which is the final. It is the most important game in the club’s history.’
