PSG goalkeeper between 2009 and 2011, now assistant coach in Dijon, Grégory Coupet admits his admiration for Keylor Navas. For him, the Costa Rican will demonstrate in Lisbon, in the Champions League, that he is the one who will take PSG to a new level.
How do you analyze Keylor Navas’ services?
GRÉGORY COUPET. It’s simple: where are the controversies about him as there have often been about Parisian goalkeepers? There is none. This proves that he is unanimous in the team and among the supporters. Its greatest strength is reassurance.
Comment ?
It exudes an immense serenity. Whenever I observe him, he always has the right gesture and without embellishment. He does not seek to perform spectacular displays. You know why ? Because it is always well placed. So he doesn’t have to make up for huge stops. This proves his intelligence. We see that he is constantly thinking about how to move well.
How do you find it reassuring?
We never see him yelling at his defenders or panicking. That is the mark of very great goalkeepers. Everything at Navas is hyper-efficiency and the right gesture. He never over-plays. I love this.
Can he help PSG to finally cross the quarter-finals of the Champions League?
There is no great team without great goalkeepers. This is something that must be remembered but it is obvious. Look at the list of teams that will be in Lisbon, it is obvious. But Navas will bring more to PSG: he has already won the Champions League and knows how to handle the pressure of this type of event. It is now that we will understand why Paris enlisted Navas.
Is he the most indisputable guardian in Paris since your visit?
I do not know (smile). In any case, it was enough for me to watch his match against Real Madrid in Spain this year to understand that it is the right pick for Paris. Believe me, the goalkeeper specialists all say it: the hardest part is always being in place and reading the game well so that you don’t need to make spectacular saves. And there, Navas, it’s heavy.
