Jens Lehmann

Jens Gerhard Lehmann (born 10 November 1969) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He was a member of Arsenal's "Invincibles", playing every match of their unbeaten title-winning season.

He holds the UEFA Champions League record for the most consecutive clean sheets, not conceding a single goal in eight consecutive full matches while he played for Arsenal.

He also has the highest number of continuous minutes without conceding goals.

In total, this lasted 853 minutes.

He is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation.

Lehmann started his career in the 1988–89 season with Schalke 04, playing for them for nearly a decade.

His first years were rocky, notably a game against Bayer Leverkusen in 1993 in which he conceded three goals and was substituted after 45 minutes, causing him to flee the stadium alone by tram rather than taking the team bus, but Lehmann gradually established himself as a strong keeper lauded for his ability to intercept crosses.

He scored his first league goal on 12 March 1995 in a 6–2 victory over 1860 Munich in the 84th minute, scoring Schalke's sixth goal from the penalty spot.

Lehmann was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and was selected for three World Cup squads.

His second goal was a last-minute equaliser scored against bitter rivals, Borussia Dortmund, in the Revierderby on 19 December 1997.

Lehmann became Schalke's team hero in their 1997 UEFA Cup Final victory over Inter Milan, after playing a strong season and saving an Iván Zamorano penalty in a penalty shootout.

Lehmann left Schalke for AC Milan in 1998, but his performances were below par.

In one game Gabriel Batistuta scored a hat-trick against him, including a goal from a free kick in the box which Lehmann had conceded by handling a back pass.

In another game he was substituted after giving away a penalty.

After just five matches, Lehmann was dropped.

Believing he wouldn't get another chance at Milan, he left during the winter.

In early 1999, Lehmann returned to Germany to play for Borussia Dortmund replacing long-time goalkeeper Stefan Klos.

Lehmann had a difficult start there after several poor performances.

Rumors arose that Lehmann might leave, with supporters viewing him critically.

But the tide eventually turned and Lehmann's form improved, becoming a reliable figure in the team.

He played a significant part in the club's return to the upper echelons of German and European football.

Borussia Dortmund began the 2001–02 season strongly and eventually won the Bundesliga in 2001–02.

That same year, Borussia Dortmund reached the UEFA-Cup final, though the team lost to Dutch club Feyenoord Rotterdam.

Around this time, Lehmann developed a reputation for his poor disciplinary record.

In a match against SC Freiburg, Lehmann kicked opposing attacker Soumaila Coulibaly after they collided in the penalty area.

Lehmann was suspended afterwards.

He currently holds the record for most red cards for any Borussia Dortmund player, and the record for most red cards for a goalkeeper in the German Bundesliga.

Lehmann's form slipped in the 2002–03 season, along with Borussia Dortmund's. His time at Dortmund was winding down, and after the season concluded, he left Dortmund.

He was replaced by Roman Weidenfeller and Guillaume Warmuz, who had just left Arsenal.

Lehmann joined Arsenal on 25 July 2003 replacing the recently departed David Seaman.

Arsenal's 2003–04 season was historic.

The Gunners finished the 2003–04 FA Premier League season unbeaten, becoming the first English club to accomplish the feat in the modern era and only the second to ever have an unbeaten season in English football's top tier, the only other team to accomplish this feat being Preston North End in the 1888–89 season.

Lehmann played every match in Arsenal's unbeaten season, though his swashbuckling playing style did lead to occasional mistakes.

For example, in the title-winning match at local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Lehmann pushed Tottenham striker Robbie Keane as the pair waited for a Tottenham corner.

He also committed an error that led to the equalising goal in Arsenal's Champions League defeat at home to Chelsea the same season.

Despite these mistakes, Lehmann's addition to the Arsenal team had a major effect on Arsenal's ability to finish unbeaten.

And Arsenal continued unbeaten until 24 October 2004.

At the end of his first season at Arsenal, he had already played 54 times earning himself a Premier League winners medal.

By the middle of the 2004–05 season, Lehmann's inconsistent form lead to Spaniard Manuel Almunia starting in several matches instead.