Manninger is making the most of second coming

AMONG the celebrating Juventus players following their Champions League win over Real Madrid 10 days ago were a handful of former Premier League players: one time Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg replaced Nicola Legrottaglie at half-time, and he high-fived ex-Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko, who had been immense in midfield, as the pair trooped off the pitch.

In front of them, barely speaking to anyone, was Gigi Buffon’s stand-in as goalkeeper and a player for whom luck has been in short supply of late, Alex Manninger.

The Austrian still looks like the 20-year-old he was when he joined Arsenal in 1997, and made seven appearances as the Gunners won the title in his debut season in England.

But he is now 31 and the win over Real was one of the highlights of a career that has seen him sign for eight different clubs since he left London in 2001.

“I’ve had a lot of problems over the years and I’ve suffered greatly so to play, and win, against Real Madrid in the Champions League is one of the greatest moments of my career, and is a kind of revenge for me,” Manninger said. “I had tears in my eyes out there on the field, because I have come back from so far.”

Manninger admits his career highlight before keeping out efforts from Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder to secure a Juventus win came during his spell as David Seaman’s deputy at Highbury.

But that says as much about the misfortune he has endured than

After leaving Arsenal in 2001, he went to Fiorentina who were on the verge of bankruptcy. “We weren’t paid and that season I had a huge amount of work too do in goal,” he recalled.

“I think I played well, but we finished 17th out of 18 and went down.”

Manninger moved to Espanyol for a few months but did not play, and then in January 2003 joined Torino and played three games.

“I only stayed there five months, but it was complete mayhem,” he recalled. “Once again I was at a club suffering from huge money problems.”

Next came a spell with Bologna — where he failed to get a game, that was followed by three weeks at Bresica before he joined Siena in 2004.

“I spent three years there with a spell at Salzburg in the middle and I had a great time,” he said. “Juventus came and signed me last summer because they had seen I wasn’t so bad.”

But if Manninger was expecting to sit on the bench again this season, he was in for a quick surprise. Juventus No 1 Gigi Buffon, the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, has been out since September with a leg injury and is not expected back until December.

“I’ve always been extremely serious and hard-working, and finally I feel my patience has been rewarded. I’m only 31, when I see Edwin van der Sar win the Champions League with Manchester United aged 37, it gives you ideas.”

There is no doubt that Buffon will win back his place when he regains fitness but Manninger will start in tonight’s return fixture against Real at the Santiago Bernabeu, and he will continue to enjoy his spell in the spotlight.

“Beating Real Madrid made me feel nostalgic,” he added. “I remembered my great years with Arsenal and now, I have rediscovered the scent of the very top level.”