Two howlers and a red card - Ex-Tottenham Hotspur player Paulo Gazzaniga has one of the worst starts to a season ever

Two howlers and a red card – Ex-Tottenham Hotspur player Paulo Gazzaniga has one of the worst starts to a season ever

Paulo Gazzaniga had perhaps the worst performance of his career during Girona's LaLiga defeat at home to Rayo Vallecano.

The former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper is now in his fourth season at the Spanish side following an initial loan move from Fulham in 2021.

3 Gazzaniga was sent off with less than 45 minutes played Credit: Getty

Gazzaniga was named in the Girona starting XI for the opening match of the new LaLiga season, but made a big mistake just 18 minutes in.

In an attempt to clear his lines, the Argentine scuffed the ball and it bounced across the face of goal for Jorge de Frutos to score.

After Alvaro Garcia Rivera made it 2-0, Gazzaniga suffered another error with his feet by kicking the ball straight at de Frutos.

And as the Rayo Vallecano man ran towards the loose ball, he was fouled inside the area to win a penalty.

Gazzaniga was shown a straight red card by referee Javier Alberola Rojas and tried to protest the decision, but to no avail.

Isi Palazon was the designated man for the penalty, and slotted his effort past substitute goalkeeper Vladyslav Krapyvtsov.

Girona therefore entered half-time 3-0 down and with only ten men following Gazzaniga's errors.

They reduced the deficit early in the second half through Joel Roca, but it didn't inspire a comeback as they fell to a 3-1 defeat.

Gazzaniga's career so far

After a spell in the Valencia academy, Gazzaniga got his first taste of senior football with Gillingham.

He then signed for Southampton in 2012 and spent five years there, but made just 23 appearances before leaving for Spurs.

3 Gazzaniga's dismissal left Girona with too much to do to salvage a result Credit: Getty

3 He made 37 appearances for Spurs Credit: Getty Images - Getty

Gazzaniga was part of the squad that reached the Champions League final in 2019 where he was on the bench for a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.

A move to Fulham followed and his loan to Girona was announced at the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign.

The 33-year-old signed a permanent two-year deal afterwards and then played in all 38 LaLiga matches in the subsequent season.

During a home match against Athletic Bilbao, Gazzaniga saved three penalties in a 2-1 win.

Alex Berenguer, Inaki Williams and Ander Herrera all missed their efforts from 12 yards.

However, Girona would later finish 16th in LaLiga, just one point above the relegation zone.

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