Keylor Navas shines in PSG friendly after dropping in pecking order

Keylor Navas' career path has never been easy. He arrived at Real Madrid in 2014 to challenge Iker Casillas and, after being the first-choice goalkeeper for the three seasons in which Los Blancos won the Champions League each year, he dropped behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order.

In 2019, he departed Real Madrid to join Paris Saint-Germain, where he was considered as a starter in his first two campaigns.

However, PSG signed Gianluigi Donnarumma, who arrived last season from AC Milan and the Italian is now considered as first-choice goalkeeper by new coach Christophe Galtier.

Aged 35, Navas is not expected to throw in the towel. He will compete for the spot between the posts, as he showed in his team's latest pre-season friendly in Japan.

The Costa Rican shot-stopper played 58 minutes before being replaced by Sergio Rico. Navas made three crucial saves to ensure that Galtier's side have yet to concede a goal in their three preseason games so far.

Galtier's second-choice goalkeeper

The new PSG coach has made clear that he considers Donnarumma as his first-choice goalkeeper at the reigning Ligue 1 champions.

"I was very clear with the goalkeepers at the beginning of pre-season, I prefer to work with this hierarchy," said Galtier.

"I know that Keylor is very frustrated by this situation, but I trust him as second-choice goalkeeper. He has made some very important and decisive saves. He's very good and works very well."

Despite being aware that he is not PSG's first-choice goalkeeper, Navas has surprised the coaching staff with his commitment and professionalism.

The former Real Madrid goalkeeper has two years left on his contract at PSG.