In modern football, the goalkeeper is no longer simply the last defender. He or she must make saves, lead the line, come up high, and often initiate the play with his or her feet. This season’s statistics perfectly illustrate this evolution: in Serie A, different specialists are emerging, each one dominating a specific aspect of the position.

Vanja Milinković-Savić, the king of penalties

When it comes to penalties, the league’s biggest name is Vanja Milinković-Savić. In fact, since the 2023/24 season, the current Napoli goalkeeper has led the rankings for saved penalties with seven, an exceptional figure that places him ahead of all the top seven European leagues. (Sofascore Italia Instagram)

Behind him are well-known figures such as Anatoliy Trubin, Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Oliver Baumann, all with six points.

This statistic speaks volumes about personality, reading the opponent, and composure, in addition to his impressive 2.02m stature. Saving a penalty isn’t just a matter of instinct, but also of study and mental ability. In this sense, Milinković-Savić has been a true lifesaver in numerous matches.

Marco Carnesecchi, total reliability between the posts

If Vanja excels in penalty challenges, Marco Carnesecchi is the epitome of completeness. In the screenshot from Roma-Atalanta, the Nerazzurri goalkeeper put in an 8.5 rating, with top-notch stats: eight saves, 0.99 goals prevented, two high catches, and 61 touches. His eight saves demonstrate his ability to keep the team on their feet under pressure. The data on expected goals avoided (0.99) confirms that the interventions were not simple routine, but rather highly difficult saves. (Sofascore Italia Instagram)

His number of touches is also impressive: 61 passes demonstrate consistent involvement in the play. Carnesecchi today is not just a reactive goalkeeper, but a player integral to Atalanta’s build-up play.

Carnesecchi himself also appears in the ranking of the most accurate goalkeepers in long throws in Serie A, a further sign of his technical growth. Atalanta’s number one is in eighth place, with 215 accurate long throws out of 541 attempted, equal to a 39.7% accuracy rate. This is especially significant considering the high volume of attempts: few goalkeepers throw so many while maintaining a percentage close to 40%.

Jean Butez, the most accurate in Serie A

The record for long throws, however, belongs to Jean Butez, Como goalkeeper. His 50.6% accuracy rate is an extraordinary figure: one in two long throws finds a teammate. (Sofascore Italia Instagram)

These numbers are superior to those of experienced and technically advanced goalkeepers like Sommer Provedel and Maignan. In a game where high-pressure play is increasingly prevalent, having a goalkeeper capable of skipping pressing lines with such precision represents a huge tactical advantage. Butez proves that even a newly promoted team can build advantages through their goalkeeper.

Furthermore, the Como goalkeeper boasts, after 33 matches played, the highest number of clean sheets in Serie A this season (15).

Sommer and Maignan, the elite of build-up play

Right behind Butez are two giants of European football: Yann Sommer and Mike Maignan. The Swiss has a 46.7% clean sheet rate, while the Frenchman is fourth with 43.2%. These numbers confirm their reputation: both are goalkeepers capable of interpreting possession like an additional playmaker.

When Inter and Milan build from the back, the technical quality of their respective goalkeepers is often the first step in the play.

Special Mention: Edoardo Motta, the Hero of the Coppa Italia

Out of the league standings, Edoardo Motta deserves a special mention, the star of the Coppa Italia semifinal second leg between Atalanta and Lazio. (Sofascore Italia Instagram)

The young Biancoceleste goalkeeper led Lazio to the final by saving four penalties in the final draw against Atalanta, after a 1-1 draw after regulation and extra time. It was a heroic performance that made him the star of the night. Saving four penalties in a single penalty shootout is an extremely rare event. Motta displayed composure, explosiveness, and great personality in a difficult stadium like Bergamo. It was a night that could change a career.

Through these statistics, we discover that the modern goalkeeper doesn’t just save goals: he often directly decides seasons.