It can't be easy being Claudio Bravo, but by all accounts, the Chile and Manchester City goalkeeper is a tough character who doesn't care too much about the criticism and ridicule that has come his way over the past 12 months.

Once you earn a reputation for being erratic, unreliable and, in Bravo's case, error-prone, it is surprising how quickly word spreads. Even in Moscow, they know about Bravo's eccentricities to the point that he was sarcastically cheered in the second half for coming out for a cross and actually catching the ball. It was harsh because the 34-year-old performed well on his return to the Chile team during Sunday's 1-1 draw against Australia. The result secured a Confederations Cup semifinal against Portugal for the South American champions.

Bravo pulled off some fine saves, excelled in the sweeper-keeper role that prompted manager Pep Guardiola to take the keeper to City from Barcelona last August, and commanded the box well. But Australia's goal, scored by James Troisi three minutes before half-time, came as a result of a ridiculously heavy clearance by Bravo. His pass was too strong for his teammate to control, and the ball bounced back into Australian possession before Troisi collected the ball in the penalty box and chipped over the grounded keeper.

There was also a moment in the second half when Bravo raced out of his penalty area to dispossess Jamie MacLaren. While Bravo won the ball and cleared it, most keepers would have stayed in their 6-yard box and left the full-back to deal with the danger. But with Bravo, you know what you are going to get, and he is too old to change now.

It seems that Guardiola has given up hope of Bravo changing, with the City manager sanctioning a £34.9 million move for Benfica's Brazilian keeper, Ederson, earlier this month. When Bravo returns to Manchester after the Confederations Cup, he will have a fight on his hands against a younger rival, but according to those who know him at City, he is already relishing the challenge. It's just another example of his resilience and determination to prove that he really is one of South America's best goalkeepers and that, regardless of Ederson's fee or the newcomer's potential, Bravo is the one with two Copa America titles and a couple of La Liga winners' medals under his belt.

Bravo rarely speaks to the media so it is difficult to know whether he is aware that some City fans have started to call him the "Hologram" because "everything goes through him." But he will know that he was mocked with applause and cheers for making routine saves for City toward the end of the season -- he also received such applause against the Socceroos in Moscow -- but in this game at least, he showed why Guardiola placed so much faith in him last season.

Replacing Joe Hart at City, a popular figure among the club's supporters, was never going to be easy, and while Hart did little to prove Guardiola wrong during a mistake-ridden season on loan at Torino, Bravo's performances for City did nothing to win over his new team's fans either. Yet his reflex save to deny Massimo Luongo in the first half was an example of Bravo's ability, which has never been in doubt back in his native Chile.

When they visit Manchester for games, Chilean journalists often speak of their bemusement of the reputation their national captain has earned in England. They cannot comprehend the backing for Hart, who they regard as being a keeper nowhere near the calibre of Bravo -- and a view shared by Guardiola. But football can be an unforgiving business and it seems it is becoming a harsher environment for goalkeepers with every passing year.

Most observers would be hard-pressed to nominate the best goalkeeper in the world, one so reliable that he simply does not make mistakes. Gianluigi Buffon has been the most consistent for the past decade but the Italian is 39 and age is beginning to catch up with him.

Manuel Neuer has had his moments when he is compromised by a rush of blood to the head. David de Gea relies too heavily on his legs to make saves. And Hugo Lloris, as he showed playing for France against Sweden recently, is also prone to poor decision-making.

Russia's Igor Akinfeev committed a howler in the defeat against Mexico on Saturday, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who edged Bravo out at Barcelona, gifted Cameroon a goal during Germany's 3-1 win in Sochi on Sunday.

It seems that no goalkeeper is a master of his art nowadays, and Bravo certainly cannot claim to be unbeatable. But he is better than his reputation suggests, and he showed that against Australia. Whether he will get the chance to redeem himself in the Premier League with City is another matter.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by MARK OGDEN, SENIOR FOOTBALL WRITER

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