A sniper who struggles from close: Numbers highlight Saelemaekers shot paradox

Alexis Saelemaekers is developing a knack of scoring goals from distance, one that has come about during the current calendar year.

La Gazzetta dello Sport report that Saelemaekers’ goal in Parma on Saturday night – one that opened the scoring in an eventual 2-2 draw – gave the Belgian a record, at least among the current Milan players.

In Serie A, only Matias Soulé (Roma) and Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter) have scored more goals from outside the area (four) than Saelemaekers (three) in the calendar year 2025. Two of those, it must be said, came with Roma on loan.

The Belgian has scored two goals this season for the Rossoneri: one against Napoli from close range after a lovely feed from Christian Pulisic. The other, a few days ago, came via a precise low shot from outside the area.

Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

What happens inside the box

To the contrary, Saelemaekers has had some troubles finishing big chances this season. In fact, as per FotMob, he has missed the third-most big chances of any Milan player in 2025-26 so far, with three.

The game in Parma was a perfect demonstration of the above. After scoring a lovely goal from 20 yards, the ex-Anderlecht man would then go on to spurn an opportunity after rounding the goalkeeper and giving himself an almost empty net.

Despite scoring seven goals and adding seven assists during his season on loan at Roma in 2024-25, Saelemaekers missed two big chances with them too. To have already surpassed that total with Milan in the current campaign though suggests some work to be done with shooting.

Saelemaekers also has a 31.3% shot on target rate for the season. By contract, Rafael Leao is at 53.3%, Samuele Ricci at 44.4%, Christian Pulisic at 70% and even Youssouf Fofana at 36.8%. Davide Bartesaghi is at 50%, on the opposite flank.