GdS: Roma-Milan could be Mile vs. Mike – the two goalkeepers compared

The game between Roma and AC Milan could well be decided by one of the two goalkeepers, and they are two of the best in Serie A.

La Gazzetta dello Sport write how Mile Svilar and Mike Maignan have been so superior to the competition this year that, when choosing the league’s best goalkeeper, it’s hard to go beyond their two names.

Who is best?

Roma have the best defence in the league, having conceded 12 goals. Milan are second with 16, tied with Como. In terms of goals conceded and expected goals on target (the goals a goalkeeper should have conceded based on the shots on target), Mike and Mile are first and second.

Maignan prevented 7.67 goals that Milan ‘should’ have conceded; Svilar 7.39 for Roma. To put this into perspective: aside from Provedel, a respectable third with 6.88, Caprile is fourth, a distant second with 4.42.

Another statistic that measure how effective a goalkeeper has been is save percentage. Svilar has turned away 84.6% of shots on target he faces, while Maignan is just behind at 77.5%.

Beyond the numbers are the facts. Svilar and Maignan are two of the reasons Allegri and Gasperini live peacefully. Mike was a phenomenon this season with saves on Neres against Napoli, on Gatti in Juve-Milan, on Zappacosta late in Bergamo, on Gila against Lazio, and on Da Cunha and Paz in Como.

Then there were the penalties saved from Dybala and Calhanoglu, two specialists, and the free kick saved from Hernani in Parma. They’re a metaphor: they are just saves on the face of things, but in reality they’re points earned.

Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images

Svilar even managed to get Gasperini, a man who has always been strict with goalkeepers, to praise him publicly: “Svilar is strong, strong. He’s a top goalkeeper. Beyond his exceptional saves, he’s always a guarantee, a guarantee of safety, even in his management of the game.”

Who’s the best? Considering that Maignan has much more international experience, while Svilar is four years younger and has more room for growth, it feels like a tough call. There’s already been some crossover between the two, too.

Milan considered Svilar in the summer if Chelsea raised their offer for Maignan. It wouldn’t have been a simple move, but who knows. Before the game at San Siro, Svilar said: “I’ve already stolen a lot from Maignan by watching him on TV. For me, he’s a role model.”

The bad news is that top clubs are eyeing both. The good news is the renewal Svilar signed in July and the one Maignan is about to sign.