Ortega sets CL exclamation mark
German keeper amazes star coach Guardiola
April 10, 2024, 9:40 a.m
As number two at Manchester City, Stefan Ortega has rarely been the center of attention. In the CL round of 16 first leg against Real Madrid, coach Pep Guardiola surprisingly pushed the German goalkeeper between the posts. It seems as if the 31-year-old could now appear there more often.
When Pep Guardiola announced the starting eleven in the Madrid football opera, a boy from Hofgeismar in northern Hesse was suddenly number one at one of the biggest clubs in the world. “I was really happy,” said goalkeeper Stefan Ortega after the 3-3 spectacle with Manchester City at Real Madrid, “that was a very, very nice experience.”
The 31-year-old, who played for Arminia Bielefeld two years ago, had the balls whizzing around his ears at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, but all of them were shots from the “untenable” category, as he exonerated himself in the Sky interview. Eduardo Camavinga’s powerful shot in the 12th minute was so heavily deflected that it was ruled an own goal by Rúben Dias. Shortly afterwards, the ball hit the heel of Manuel Akanji, who was tunneling, and Ortega himself also had his foot on it, but the ball rolled into the goal (14th). The 3:3 (79th) was a brilliant volley from Fede Valverde.
Had the football world really seen an early Champions League final? “I think so,” said Ortega, “when you see how successful the clubs have been in the past. For us it’s a result like we knew from last season, so we weren’t completely dissatisfied.” In 2023, City drew 1-1 at the Bernabeu in the semi-finals and then swept Real 4-0. If something similar happens, Stefan Ortega Moreno would be an even happier man.
“Incredible goalkeeper,” enthuses Guardiola
And Pep Guardiola? He raved about his “incredible goalkeeper” and the club had signed an “extraordinary keeper”. “Eddi”, i.e. Ederson, the regular goalkeeper for a long time, has only just recovered from a thigh injury.
One thing is clear: Anyone who trusts Stefan Ortega on this mega stage has made a statement. Even if Guardiola “didn’t say it directly,” as Ortega calmly reported, it may well be that the boy from northern Hesse will permanently be number one in a billion-dollar ensemble. He wouldn’t take off, that’s for sure. “In the end it’s always the same,” he said: “Doing my job when I get the chance to play. At the moment I’m being rewarded for it.” He feels right at home in England with his family anyway.
However, despite all the luck, there would still be a dream. The thing with the German national team “hasn’t happened yet. Maybe it will happen at some point,” he said. It would be nice, like this for the home European Championships: “I don’t have to hide.” At the 2021 European Championships, he was called up on call in the event that one of the three goalkeepers in the tournament squad was injured. With strong performances in the season finale, he could perhaps convince national coach Julian Nagelsmann of an appointment at the last second.