Corrigan: Exceptional Ortega Moreno so important for City | OneFootball

Club legend Joe Corrigan says Stefan Ortega Moreno’s role in City’s march to the 2024 FA Cup final and 2023/24 Premier League title has only reinforced his standing as a goalkeeper of the highest quality.

The German goalkeeper has been one of the mainstays in the City side across every single second of our march to a second successive final against United.

Across the five games required to earn Pep Guardiola’s Cup holders a return ticket to Wembley, the 31-year has chalked up four clean sheets, only conceding in our fifth round 6-2 win at Luton Town.

Ortega Moreno has shone bright across each and every round, never more so that in last month’s 1-0 semi-final victory over Chelsea where he produced a series of outstanding saves to help keep the Londoners at bay.

His composed, assured performances have also proved pivotal in City’s historic march to a fourth straight Premier League title – an achievement unparalleled in the history of men's English football.

And for Corrigan, the way Ortega Moreno has married technical excellence with a laser sighted focus whenever called upon by manager Pep Guardiola, has only served to further emphasise his top-class credentials.

“Stefan has done exceptionally well – you just need to look at the league game at Spurs earlier this month to see how important he has been,” said club legend Corrigan – one of City and England’s finest post-war goalkeepers.

“It’s easy to brush over the fact that coming on as a sub in a game as important as that one at Tottenham, it's so, so difficult.

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“You've got to build your concentration into the pace of the game, which is already in full flow and it's so difficult and he's been exceptional in that respect.

“And he made those three absolutely exceptional saves in a short space of time which were vital.

“We knew his ability as he's done it in the past and been so good ever since he joined the Club.

“But I think this season, where’s he had to come one four times as a substitute, in the league he's been absolutely exceptional.

“In the league I also think back to the game at Liverpool where Ederson also picked up an injury. Stefan came on and made a number of really vital saves there too in another huge game.

“To come on and play like that in such a difficult part of the season when you've got a team like Arsenal breathing down your neck and they're firing on all cylinders says everything about him I think.

“And when he's come in as a number one pick, like in the FA Cup, he's also done really well as well. So you've got to give the man huge credit.”

From a technical perspective too Corrigan – who went on to enjoy a distinguished career as a top-class goalkeeping coach after calling time on his magnificent playing days – says Ortega Moreno has demonstrated his prowess time and again.

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Specifically Joe pointed to the way he had stood tall and patient before making a potentially title-defining save to deny Son Heung-min in the latter stages of last week’s vita 2-0 win at Tottenham in City’s penultimate league game as the very essence of his quality.

“Stefan sees short passes very, very well and he’s a really solid shot stopper in the fact that he tends not to rush to get towards the ball,” Corrigan added.

“He tends to stand and in all my goalkeeping life, both as a player and a coach, I've always been told that you need balance and I always tried to teach balance to my goalkeepers and the only way you can have balance is by staying on your feet.

“Whether you make the save with your feet or whether you make a reflex type of save, you’re able to move with your feet towards the ball.

“Whereas people who rush out, the strikers that are around today tend to know where your weaknesses are and they aim either in the gaps between your arms and the floor, or the gap between your legs.

“It’s a very technical point, but if you look at the three big saves against Spurs, he stayed and he was solid. He stood up and then when the ball got near him, he crouched down.

“He didn't spread himself. And then when the ball was played, he stuck his leg out. And that's so important. Because the striker looks and if he sees you going down, he just chips it over your head. “

But if you're stood up he’s only got two places to put it. That's at the side of your feet, and I thought it was a really, really good technical demonstration and that block from Son in particular was such an important save.”