Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel is the main protagonist of the first day of the Champions League. In the 90th minute + 5 of the match with Atlético he scored to equalize the score, how nice! Maurizio Sarri’s reaction perfectly sums up the feeling of the entire stadium at that moment.
More about the match
Goal of the year by a goalkeeper in the Champions League! A player with Russian roots saved in the style of Ronaldo! Video
The goalkeeper himself did not immediately realize that he had scored; After the match he admitted that he had taken a while. And at the same time he shared that he studied with Ciro Immobile! “I see how he makes these moves every day (probably talking about runs to the championship-mark area),” Provedel told reporters. “And I also knew that Luis Alberto usually serves to the far post, so I went there.”
Provedel is half Russian, his grandfather was a friend of Yashin.
Ivan was born in Italy, but his mother is Russian. He grew up in the same area of Moscow as Lev Yashin. “My grandparents lived down the street from him,” he said in an interview with Championship. – My grandfather was a very good friend of Yashin! I don’t know the history of their relationship, but for me this is one more reason to believe in my dream of becoming a great goalkeeper. The examples of these people are inspiring!”
Ivan Provedel
straight goalkeeper
“I was born in the town of Cechini in the province of Pordenone. My mother is Russian, she was born in Moscow and my father is Italian. I know Russian, I understand it, but I feel more comfortable communicating in English; I just use it more often. And I can’t name any football terms. But if I need to maintain a dialogue, when they ask me: “How are you?” – then please. But, in general, I speak Russian only with some people in the family: for example, when I was a child I spoke with my grandmother, who lived with us in Pordenone and did not speak Italian. And then she went to Moscow and I went to play for Udinese (in an interview with the Championship on February 22, 2022).”
Provedel is willing to think about a career in the Russian national team
The goalkeeper admitted to us in an interview that he feels half Russian and half Italian, which is why he supports both the Russian and Italian teams.
Ivan Provedel
straight goalkeeper
“If one day I receive a call from the Russian national team, I will definitely think about the offer. It is an honor to receive a challenge like this (in an interview with “Championship” on February 22, 2022)”
In September 2022, Roberto Mancini called up Iván to the Italian team for the Nations League matches against England and Hungary. Provedel did not take the field, so the theoretical possibility of playing for the Russian national team remains.
They often tell the spender that he is not Italian.
All because of the combination of names and surnames: Ivan is an atypical name for Italy, Provedel is an atypical surname for Italy.
Ivan Provedel
straight goalkeeper
“I used to have people who told me, “You’re not Italian!” I had to explain what and why. I had a teammate from Lithuania. After two days of communication, he said, “Wow, you speak Italian very well. How do you do it? Where are you from?” I was even a little surprised. I had to say, “Hey, I’m Italian!” Sometimes people really think I have a different nationality.”
Provedel dreamed of being a Formula 1 driver
Provedel loves football, but for a long time he dreamed of being a racing driver, although, as he himself admitted, it was impossible.
Ivan Provedel
straight goalkeeper
“In Italy, football is simply everywhere: everyone talks about it, watches it, plays it in every yard. I just hung out with my friends and played every day. The main thing is that there is a ball. I tried other sports, but none appealed to me as much as soccer. So I had no choice.”
Provedel’s idol in Italy is Toldo, in Russia – Akinfeev
Iván dreamed of being a goalkeeper ever since he saw Euro 2000, that is, the match between Italy and Holland. Francesco Toldo’s play impressed him so much that Provedel immediately fell in love with the position. “I tried to imitate him, I even bought the same gloves and boots,” he said in an interview with “Championship.”
In Russia, Provedel always liked Igor Akinfeev: he called him the Russian Buffon.
Ivan Provedel
straight goalkeeper
“Akinfeev is a very good goalkeeper. I think that for the Russian team he is like Buffon for Italy. Igor has a wonderful career that can only be admired. He brought many benefits while playing for the Russian national team. I’m sure all Russian goalkeepers admire Igor. Among Italian goalkeepers, my idol was Toldo, and in Russia, Akinfeev (in an interview with the Championship on February 22, 2022)”
The technicians saw Provedel as a forward
Until the age of 15, Iván played in attack!
Ivan Provedel
straight goalkeeper
“The coaches saw me as a forward. I don’t even know why. And I wasn’t that bad! I played attack until I was 15, but I realized that it just didn’t give me pleasure. Then I tried myself as a goalkeeper in a small team and began to succeed. “Then Udinese noticed me and I became a full-fledged goalkeeper.”
Provedel once scored with a header and joked that his qualities as a striker helped him at that moment. “It was incredible,” he recalled in an interview with Championship. – My team really needed this goal, we were losing in the 90+5 minute. I decided to go to the other half of the field and help: there was a free kick. In general, this almost never happens, but I actually managed to score! It was a little crazy! “It would be great if I could do it again.”
And I did it!
“These two goals have no value,” he admitted after yesterday’s game. “Both of them are very important to me!”
Ivan Provedel
Photo: Marco Rosi/Getty Images
Provedel was the best goalkeeper in Serie A last season
Ivan has never played outside Italy during his entire career: Chievo, Pisa, Perugia, Modena, Pro Vercelli, Empoli, Juve Stabia, Spezia and finally “Lazio”, where he opened up and reached a completely new level. In his first season in Rome (2022/2023), Provedel kept a clean sheet 21 times, that is, 55.3% of all matches! According to this indicator, he became the best in Serie A (Alex Meret from Napoli took second place-16), so at the end of the season he was rightfully recognized as the best goalkeeper in the league.
More about Provedel
