Fan plays key role in Clichy’s stunning long-distance strike for Servette

Gael Clichy scored from the halfway line in Servette’s 5-0 win over Sion in the Swiss league during the weekend after remembering some advice he had been given.

The advice was about opposing goalkeeper Alexandros Safarikas from a fan on Instagram.

Servette were already 2-0 ahead when former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Clichy won possession just inside Sion’s half in the ninth minute on Saturday.

He then sent a left-foot shot over a scrambling Safarikas, leaving both ball and goalkeeper in the net.

The former France full-back revealed after the game that he had recalled a message from one of the club’s supporters on social media.

The message told him that Safarikas had a tendency to stray off his line.

“I received a message on Instagram from a fan of Servette who said to me that the goalkeeper tends to be a bit advanced, and it stuck in my thoughts,” Clichy said in quotes on the club’s Twitter feed.

“The execution was successful and it’s three points.”

Clichy, who won the Premier League title once with Arsenal and twice with Manchester City during his 14 seasons in English football, moved to Servette in December 2020.

He was on a free transfer from Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.

(dpa/NAN)