# Geronimo Rulli Saves Two Penalties as City Beats Brighton in Carabao Cup

> Manchester City's 34-year-old goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli stopped two spot-kicks to eliminate Brighton, continuing his reputation as a penalty specialist after his 2021 Europa League heroics for Villarreal.

- Publisher: Briefzora (https://briefzora.com)
- URL: https://briefzora.com/geronimo-rulli-saves-two-penalties-as-city-beats-brighton-in-carabao-cup
- Published: 2026-10-29T17:31:16+05:00
- Author: Briefzora Desk (https://briefzora.com/author/briefzora-desk)
- Section: Politics
- Image: https://briefzora.com/uploads/2026/10/man-city-penalty-hero-geronimo-rulli-is-journeyman-34-who-has-won-wo-51jyth.webp

## Key points

- Geronimo Rulli saved two penalties to help Manchester City beat Brighton on 29 October.
- Rulli joined City for £1.7 million from Marseille.
- He was the spot-kick taker and saved David De Gea's penalty for Villarreal in the 2021 Europa League final.
- Rulli earned a World Cup winner's medal as Argentina's third-choice keeper in Qatar 2022.
- Enzo Maresca said Rulli will remain the backup to Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Premier League.

## Why it matters

City fans gain a reliable cup-match goalkeeper, while Rulli's experience adds depth to the squad for both domestic and European competitions.

## Article

Geronimo Rulli, 34, kept Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday 29 October by denying Brighton's Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk from twelve yards, securing a 2-2 draw and a win on penalties.

The Argentine's link with City fans began five years earlier when, playing for Villarreal, he scored the decisive spot-kick and saved David De Gea's attempt in the 2021 Europa League final against Manchester United.

Rulli, who joined City for £1.7 million from Marseille, said after the match, "I knew I would save any penalty. Before the game I told Enzo Fernandez that if it went to penalties, I would save two. I feel the confidence. I feel really nice in these kinds of situations and I'm ready to help."

Enzo Maresca, City's head coach, confirmed the goalkeeper's role will remain secondary to Gianluigi Donnarumma in Premier League fixtures, adding, "He is working well but Rulli knows exactly his role."

Rulli's career has spanned Argentina, Spain, France and the Netherlands, with eight clubs on his CV. He first appeared on City's books in 2016 after being signed from Deportivo Maldonado, loaned to Real Sociedad and later sold to Villarreal without making a first-team appearance.

He spent five seasons as Sociedad's No 1, won the Europa League with Villarreal under Unai Emery, featured for Ajax, and worked under Roberto De Zerbi at Marseille.

Rulli also holds a World Cup winner's medal from Qatar 2022, where he was Argentina's third-choice goalkeeper as Lionel Messi led the team to the trophy.

Having played over 400 club games and earned nine caps for Argentina, the Estudiantes-trained veteran adds depth to City's squad, even if most of his season will be spent on the bench.

"On Saturday [against Brighton] it will be Gigio plus 10," Maresca said, indicating the coach's confidence in the backup's ability to step in when needed.

Rulli's penalty-saving prowess and experience suggest he could feature more often this term, despite Maresca's commitment to Donnarumma as the first-choice keeper.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many penalties did Geronimo Rulli save against Brighton?

Rulli saved two penalties, stopping Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk from twelve yards.

### What was Geronimo Rulli's role in the 2021 Europa League final?

He scored the winning spot-kick and saved David De Gea's penalty for Villarreal against Manchester United.

### Did Geronimo Rulli win a World Cup medal?

Yes, he received a World Cup winner's medal as Argentina's third-choice goalkeeper in Qatar 2022.


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