In tragic news, former Juventus and Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger has passed at just 48 years old. According to reports, he was killed in a car accident.
The Austrian shot-stopper was born in Salzburg in June 1977 and joined Arsenal in the late 1990s. He would make 63 starts during his five years in north London, winning the Premier League and the FA Cup in 1998.
He would later join Juventus and lift the 2011/12 Serie A title in Italy before retiring in 2017 after a short spell at Liverpool.
As recently as this April, the retired goalkeeper was reflecting on his time at Arsenal, speaking emotionally about his decision to leave the Gunners. In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, he reflected:
βIt makes me emotional just thinking about it. I was 20, a kid. [Arsene] Wenger wanted to bring an international dimension to the club and focus on young players. I was one of them. Arsene even introduced a training camp, which was unusual for the Premier League at the time.β
Before then added: βI have to say that, despite my age, I felt comfortable in goal. Up front I had a giant like Tony Adams. He taught me so much. I only have one regret: leaving too soon. But you know, I wanted to play.β
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