“Invincible” keeper to retire

Jens Lehmann is mobbed by his Arsenal team mates after his penalty save from Villareal’s Juan Ramon Riquelme saw The Gunners through to their first UEFA Champions League final, in 2006.

By NIGEL BENSON

Arsenal’s “Invincible” goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann, has announced he will hang up his gloves
at the end of the season.
The 61-cap German international started his professional career at Schalke’04 in 1989, before
spells at AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund.
He signed for Arsenal in 2003 and made more than 100 league appearances, before eventually
losing his spot in the starting XI to Manuel Almunia.
He moved to Stuttgart in the summer of 2008.
“After this season it’s finished for me, I’ve had enough,” Lehmann said this week.
“It’ll be time to try something else and to disappear a bit off the radar. It will be good to move
out of the spotlight for a bit.”

Lehmann played his last match for Germany in the 1-0 defeat against Spain in the Euro 2008 final.
The highlight of his career was as guardian during Arsenal’s Invincible season of 2003-04.
With Lehmann in goal, Arsenal also established a European record on the way to the 2006
UEFA Champions League final, by not conceded a goal in 10 matches.
However, he foolishly blotted his copybook by becoming the first keeper to be sent off in a
Champions League final, when he brought down striker Samuel Eto’o in the 18th minute against Barcelona.
Arsenal had been far the better side until Lehmann’s dismissal, but ended up losing 1-2, despite taking a 1-0 lead through a Sol Campbell header.
The red card also denied retiring Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp a deserved final farewell in Europe’s showpiece event.