André Onana has a conversation with DAZN looking back at the lost Europa League final of 2017. The then 21-year-old Cameroonian stood under the bar on behalf of Ajax against Manchester United, which eventually triumphed 0-2. Onana had been the first goalkeeper in Amsterdam for less than a year and almost died of fear, he says.
In 2016, Onana grew almost immediately to number 1 in Amsterdam after the departure of Jasper Cillessen. A short season later, the Cameroonian played his first European final. “We already lost that game before we played,” says Onana. “When we arrived in Stockholm I called Van der Sar (managing director, ed.). I told him ‘I’m not feeling well, I’m not going to play this final’. He replied by saying ‘I’m old and I don’t have any gloves, so you have to play’.”
According to Onana, “seven players were sick” on the morning of the final. He himself was also stiff with nerves, which were still present during the match. “After that game I told myself: ‘I’m never going to play with this fear again’. Now if we play with Inter against Real or Barcelona I’m not afraid. on the field. Not for anyone,” said the 26-year-old goalie.
Onana left the Johan Cruijff ArenA last summer and initially ended up on the bench at Inter. At the beginning of October, however, he drove Samir Handanovic out of the starting line-up, from which he has not disappeared since. Onana has so far made 26 appearances in Inter’s shirt, in which he had to fish 22 times. Thirteen times he kept his goal clean.