Keeping up disappearances: when both starting goalies are sent off

“This weekend’s Genoa v Milan match in Serie A saw both starting goalkeepers sent off,” writes Derek Robertson. “Has this ever happened in a top European league or international match?”

Olivier Giroud: World Cup winner, bicycle kick connoisseur, male model and now … goalkeeper. The Frenchman had a go between the sticks for Milan, following Mike Maignan’s late red card against Genoa at the weekend, and he did pretty well: keeping a clean sheet by bravely diving at the feet of George Puscas to keep Milan top of Serie A, during a wild injury-time period in which the hosts’ goalkeeper Josep Martínez also saw red for a second yellow.

But two red cards for the two starting goalkeepers is not an isolated incident. It’s not even a unique situation in games featuring sides from Milan.

Back now to 28 March 1992 at San Siro, where Torino’s sweeper-keeper Luca Marchegiani was dismissed for handling outside the box before Inter’s Beniamino Abate was also given his marching orders for a reckless last-man challenge on 70 minutes. The game finished 0-0.

Outside of a top European league or international matches, there are plenty of examples of multiple keepers being sent off, although not always for the opposing sides. We return to an Ecuadorian top-flight match on 1 November 2014, when Barcelona’s keeper Máximo Banguera was given a second yellow for time-wasting. As the substitute goalkeeper Damián Lanza was waiting to replace him, he made baseless accusations against the referee which led to him being sent off before he had even come on. Cue a mass brawl which needed riot police. The match restarted and Barcelona’s nine men did well to lose only 2-1 as two outfield players took turns in goal for the remaining 48 minutes.

It’s been