OGC Nice travel to Lyon on Saturday (kick-off at 5.30pm). The perfect occasion to cast our minds back to Walter Benitez’s heroic performance last season at the Groupama Stadium.

We are in injury time. The Lyon heads are dropping a little more with every missed opportunity. They demonstrate the powerlessness of the Lyon attack in beating the vigilant Nice keeper, who was entirely dominating his area.

Found in the heart of the Nice box, Houssem Aouar was denied by a wall (90+3’). The home side had to face facts: they wouldn’t find the back of the net this evening. Walter Benitez is unbeatable.

Although this final stop wouldn’t boost his already exceptional record that evening - Aouar was flagged offside - it was a perfect demonstration of the form he was in (9 stops).

When the Argentinian stopper arrived in the Capitale des Gaules, he wasn’t to be daunted by the impressive run that Bruno Génésio’s side found themselves on (seven consecutive wins at home, over two seasons), nor by the poor start to the season that his side had experienced (one draw and two defeats).

Although the whole of the Nice team left their hearts and bodies on the field that evening, driven by the prospect of a first win of the 2018/19 season (0-1, goal from Saint-Maximin, 51’), the star performance of the encounter came from their final line of defence, and his performance remains engraved in Rouge et Noir history. He also made it into the Le Gym’s record books, given that in the preceding ten years, no other Nice goalkeeper had made more saves in one match than the South American.

After a first touch of the ball in the fifth minute, the ball seemingly stuck to the number 40’s gloves. And when he was beaten, he forced his opponents to strike the woodwork (57’). 

An incredible performance that was summed up by the phenomenal double save to deny Ndombele and then Fekir (86’).

He was rightfully awarded a 9/10 in L’Equipe and Nice-Matin, and was also named Crédit Agricole Aiglon of the Match by the Nice fans. 

The Argentinian was also named Aiglon of the 2018-19 season after continuing the excellent form demonstrated on that special evening.

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