How popular veteran Carson could match stunning Maldini and Costacurta record

The 37-year-old has rarely been seen since joining City in 2019, featuring only twice in all competitions, but regularly appearing on the bench.

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Third-choice behind Ederson Moraes and Stefan Ortega, Carson is yet to play any minutes this season, but will likely be one of 40 recipients of a winners medal, should City get the job done on June 10 in Istanbul.

And that will be his second in the European Cup, having picked up his first while at Liverpool back in 2005, similarly in Istanbul.

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That gap of 18 years between two Champions League titles has only been achieved twice before in history, by AC Milan legends Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta.

The incredible stat was tweeted by Richard Jolly, who added that Carson's number of appearances for City is 900 less than Maldini's 902 for Milan.

Homegrown former England goalkeeper Carson joined City on loan from Derby County in 2019, and then made the move permanent in 2021.

His popularity was showcased in May 2021 when the Cumbrian finally made his debut after a two-year wait, facing Newcastle in the Premier League and saving a penalty in a 4-3 win.

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City had already won the title during the COVID-impacted season, but Carson was still mobbed by his teammates at full time.

The match was also Carson's first in the top flight since May 2011, setting another record with a 3645 gap between appearances, the most for a goalkeeper in Premier League history.

His other appearance for Pep Guardiola came as a substitute against Sporting Lisbon in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2022, while during Liverpool's victorious 2005 fun he played the 90 minutes in a first-leg quarter-final win over Juventus.