Simon Mignolet and the 10 Biggest Champions League Goalkeeping Errors
Not so long ago, Mario Balotelli was the scapegoat for Liverpool's troubles, now it appears to be Simon Mignolet.
The Belgian 'keeper has come under criticism for recent performances and was guilty of a Champions League howler on Wednesday evening when he was at fault for Ludogorets' opening goal.
Mignolet isn't the first 'keeper to make a mistake in the European Cup, and he won't be the last. Here are 10 goalkeeping errors that might make the Liverpool man feel a little better about himself.
Roberto Jimenez (Olympiacos) vs. Atletico Madrid
1 of 10Mignolet wasn't the only 'keeper to have a bad day at the office on Wednesday. Olympiacos shot-stopper Roberto Jimenez conceded four at Atletico Madrid, including a Mario Mandzukic hat-trick.
Roberto gifted the first goal to Atleti when he played a short pass straight to the feet of Juanfran in the ninth minute.
One can only assume the 'keeper was confused as the Spaniards were wearing the red and white stripes his own team sport at home.
Timo Hildebrand (Schalke) vs. Chelsea
2 of 10
Timo Hildebrand probably wished the ground would swallow him up in the 31st minute of Schalke's visit to Chelsea last season, as he was at fault for the opening goal.
Dithering with the ball in his area, the German waited long enough for Samuel Eto'o to block his attempted kick and had to watch the ball deflect into his net.
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) vs. Atletico Madrid
3 of 10
Iker Casillas' once-unshakable reputation has been called into question a few times in recent seasons—and not just by Jose Mourinho.
In the 2014 Champions League final, Atletico Madrid took the lead when he came out to contest a Diego Godin header. However, poor positioning meant he ended up in no man's land and couldn't prevent Los Colchoneros from taking the lead.
Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid) vs. Zenit St Petersburg
4 of 10
Thibaut Courtois earned a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet in the 2013-14 season, but he showed his fallibility during a group stage visit to Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Somehow, the Belgian let a Toby Alderweireld header loop over him and into the back of the net.
Joe Hart (Manchester City) vs. Bayern Munich
5 of 10Joe Hart's abilities have been questioned on numerous occasions, not least when he let a very saveable Franck Ribery shot slip right through his hands during Bayern Munich's visit to Eastlands last October.
Vito Mannone (Arsenal) vs. Olympiacos
6 of 10
Vito Mannone made a rare appearance in an Arsenal shirt during a Champions League match at Olympiacos on December 6, 2011.
In the 36th minute, the Italian made a bold headed clearance that fell to the feet of David Fuster. The Spanish midfielder launched a weak shot straight at Mannone, who contorted his body and completely missed the ball.
Manuel Neuer (Schalke) vs. Internazionale
7 of 10
These days, Manuel Neuer is so bored in the Bayern Munich net that he tends to spent most of the game casually standing somewhere in the centre circle.
However, the sweeper goalkeeper's tendency to stray from his line doesn't always work out.
In Schalke's quarter-final first leg against Internazionale in May 2011, Neuer made a brilliant headed clearance outside his box. But it wasn't entirely brilliant, as it fell to Dejan Stankovic near the halfway line, who gladly blasted a long-range shot into the empty net.
Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham) vs. Real Madrid
8 of 10
In the same round of quarter-final matches that Manuel Neuer committed his mistake, Tottenham Hotspur's Heurelho Gomes was guilty of an even bigger blunder.
With Spurs needing to overturn a 4-0 defeat from the first leg, Gomes failed to deal with a Cristiano Ronaldo shot and ended up parrying it into his own net.
Thomas Ravelli (IFK Goteborg) vs. Steaua Bucharest
9 of 10Here's a howler that pre-dates the Champions League era by a few seasons, but it is definitely worth including.
IFK Goteborg went to Steaua Bucharest in March 1989 defending a 1-0 lead from a European Cup quarter-final first leg.
In the seventh minute, Steaua forward Marius Lacatus broke through and nodded a very soft header toward the goal before either being fouled or simulating a foul. Clearly distracted by the incident, Swedish 'keeper Thomas Ravelli allowed the ball to slowly roll into his own net.
Steaua went on to put four more goals past Ravelli on their way to a meeting with Milan in the final.
Lukasz Fabianski (Arsenal) vs. Porto
10 of 10
Lukasz Fabianski had a night to forget in Porto when Arsenal crashed to a 2-1 defeat in a second-round knockout game in 2010.
After 11 minutes, the Pole managed to turn a Silvestre Varela cross into his own net under very little pressure.
Sol Campbell put the Gunners back in the game with an equaliser, but Fabianski later picked up a back pass from the big defender. In the confusion surrounding the inexplicable mistake, Porto took a very quick free-kick and Radamel Falcao slotted in the winner.
