Napoli’s Milinkovic-Savic: Italy’s top penalty stopper | OneFootball

In modern football, where precision from the penalty spot often seems a guarantee, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic has managed to overturn the statistics. The Serbian goalkeeper of Napoli, 28 years old, is currently the best penalty specialist in Italy: six saves in the last ten attempts faced in Serie A, a record that no other goalkeeper in the league can boast.

Napoli, Milinkovic-Savic, the goalkeeper who stops everyone: in Italy, no one saves penalties like him

After neutralizing a penalty against Camarda with Lecce, Milinkovic-Savic repeated the feat just four days later by saving Morata's penalty at the “Maradona” in the match against Como. Two close interventions that saved crucial points and consolidated Napoli's lead in the standings.

“It's something you have inside”: the secret of his instinct

When asked about the secret to his effectiveness, Milinkovic responds simply. “You can analyze your opponents as much as you want, but it's a moment. It's something you have inside,” he said after the Lecce game. And after the match with Como, he reiterated: “It's a matter of an instant, you decide and you dive. There's no time to think.”

Words that reveal the instinctive nature of a goalkeeper who lives by reflexes, intuition, and composure. Milinkovic studies the penalty takers, of course, but at the decisive moment, he relies on his feeling. A natural gift, hard to explain but undeniable in the results.

From Halloween irony to Napoli's certainty

Just a few days before the Lecce match, Milinkovic-Savic attended a Halloween party dressed as a “ghost warrior.” A costume that now seems almost prophetic: on the field, the Serbian has truly become the specter haunting Serie A penalty takers.

In his last five starts, he has provided stability and leadership between the posts, offering Napoli security and crucial points. Two penalties saved in five days, high-level performances, and the awareness of being a cornerstone of Antonio Conte's team.

Conte: “Credit also to the group”

While acknowledging the impact of his goalkeeper, Antonio Conte wanted to emphasize the importance of collective work. “In the second half, I don't recall any saves by Vanja,” the coach stated in a press conference, highlighting the overall defensive solidity of the team.

The coach is right: behind Milinkovic's growth is also a compact defensive phase, built on attention, positioning, and sacrifice. But it's undeniable that the Serbian is now the decisive factor in the most complex matches.

Difficulties and absences, but the group holds

Napoli reaches this point in the season with a long and heavy list of injuries. Lukaku, described by Milinkovic as “a fundamental presence,” is still sidelined; Gilmour and Spinazzola remain to be evaluated, while De Bruyne and Lobotka are not yet fully recovered.

Despite everything, the team has managed to maintain balance and results, thanks also to the saves of their number one. “We hope those who got injured return soon to help us,” commented the goalkeeper, already focused on the next Champions League match at the Maradona against Eintracht, a game to win at all costs to stay in the European race.

The best penalty saver in Italy, among the top in Europe

The numbers don't lie: with six penalties saved out of ten, Milinkovic-Savic is the best penalty saver in Serie A. In Europe, only Bosnian Nikola Vasilj of St. Pauli can boast comparable statistics. A leadership built on quick reflexes, reading the opponent's body, and keeping cool under maximum pressure.

In a league where details often make the difference, Napoli has found in their goalkeeper a guarantee of points and a symbolic figure of Conte's winning mentality.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.