Based on form, Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen is now in top-5 world's best goalkeepers

Matt Jones - Editor 18:11 08/02/2018
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Marc-Andre ter Stegen is in the form of his life, shining for Barcelona this season as they surge towards the La Liga title, all the while exerting a vivce-like grip on the Germany goalkeeper’s jersey with regular No1 Manuel Neuer on the sidelines.

    As the 25-year-old attempts to improve his chances of starting between the sticks for his country at the World Cup in Russia this summer, he’s also chasing a domestic record too.

    Ter Stegen has a chance of breaking Deportivo La Coruna goalkeeper Francisco Liano’s 1994 clean sheet record, keeping 26 of them in one La Liga season.

    Barca lead the standings by nine points from Atletico Madrid, with Ter Stegen so far collecting 13 clean sheets from 22 games, with 16 games to go.

    Elsewhere in Spain, Los Rojiblancos stopper Jan Oblak has been in scintillating form as Diego Simeone’s side have conceded a league low nine goals this term.

    In England, meanwhile, David De Gea has kept 15 Premier League clean sheets in 26 games as United possess the stingiest defence, leading many to label him the best stopper in world football.

    Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois has 12 clean sheets in 25 league appearances this term, and he has put the likes of both Madrid sides on alert as he claims his future lies in the Spanish capital.

    Elsewhere, Roma No1 Allison has had a supremely impressive 18 months, establishing himself as the No1 in the Eternal City having studied under Wojciech Szczesny during his early days with the Giallorossi. He has also established himself as Brazil’s No1, keeping out Manchester City’s Ederson.

    Here, Sport360 assesses the attributes of our top five goalkeepers in Europe:

    HONOURABLE MENTIONS

    Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nicolas (Verona), Stefano Sorrentino (Chievo), Neto (Valencia), Fernando Pacheco (Alaves), Jiri Pavlenka (Werder Bremen), Timo Horn (Cologne), Baptiste Reynet (Dijon), Regis Gurtner (Amiens)

    1. MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN

    Age 25

    **Appearances 27

    **Clean sheets 21

    Goals conceded 19

    Goals conceded per game 0.7

    **Saves 75

    *Saves per game 2.8

    *Average passes 29.1

    *Pass success rate 81.1

    *Long balls 5.7

    Much like David De Gea at Manchester United, has had to replace a club icon as he was thrust into the limelight when Claudio Bravo was sold to Manchester City.

    Has been a revelation at Camp Nou this season, exceeding expectations with fantastic showings in both La Liga and the Champions League – where he leads the stats in both save percentage and clean sheets.

    He has also taken his chance to usurp the injured Manuel Neuer in nets for Germany, and on this form is in contention to fight the Bayern Munich stopper for the No1 jersey at this summer’s World Cup.

    GettyImages-848472156 (1)

    2. DAVID DE GEA

    Age 27

    **Appearances 30

    **Clean sheets 19

    Goals conceded 21

    Goals conceded per game 0.7

    **Saves 95

    *Saves per game 3.2

    *Average passes 26

    *Pass success rate 56.5

    *Long balls 7.5

    From where he’s come to where he is, is staggering progress. It’s not easy to establish yourself at a big club, especially at 20 and replacing a legend like Edwin van der Sar as De Gea did in 2011.

    His maiden campaign was littered with errors and he was constantly bullied at set-pieces by the myriad of strong, powerful strikers plying their trade in the Premier League – something that would have been painfully new to him having arrived from the far more placid La Liga.

    It took both time and effort for him to develop physically, but what a goalkeeper he has developed into. He has been United’s rock for the last five years, constantly coming to the rescue of a back-line which is nowhere near the class of the man behind them. He won the club’s player of the year award three years in a row from 2014-16.

    Manchester United v Everton - Premier League

    3. JAN OBLAK

    Age 25

    **Appearances 28

    **Clean sheets 17

    Goals conceded 16

    Goals conceded per game 0.57

    **Saves 76

    *Saves per game 2.8

    *Average passes 22.8

    *Pass success rate 47.9

    *Long balls 5.8

    Has become a firm favourite with Rojiblancos supporters, making 96 La Liga appearances since arriving from Benfica in 2014 and all but erasing memories of De Gea.

    An imposing physical specimen, incredibly athletic, he commands his area with authority and is a wonderful shot-stopper.

    Is reportedly being lined up by Arsenal as a replacement for veteran Petr Cech this summer after a slew of error-strewn performances from the 35-year-old Czech this term.

    Atletico Madrid v Malaga - La Liga

    4. THIBAUT COURTOIS

    Age 25

    **Appearances 31

    **Clean sheets 15

    Goals conceded 32

    Goals conceded per game 1.03

    **Saves 65

    *Saves per game 2

    *Average passes 27.5

    *Pass success rate 70.7

    *Long balls 5.2

    Has been supreme for Chelsea in three-and-a-half seasons at Stamford Bridge, establishing himself as one of the modern game’s greats.

    Another stopper with links to De Gea, having shone in the Spanish capital where he spent three seasons on loan following the Spaniard’s departure.

    Is in talks to sign a new Blues contract but with the club’s poor form, speculation over Antonio Conte’s future and his two children residing in the Spanish capital with his ex-girlfriend, the big Belgian has stated his “heart is in Madrid”.

    Courtois

    5. ALLISON 

    Age 25

    **Appearances 29

    **Clean sheets 13

    Goals conceded 22

    Goals conceded per game 0.75

    **Saves 94

    *Saves per game 3.2

    *Average passes 29.3

    *Pass success rate 80.9

    *Long balls 8.2

    The Brazilian international is currently keeping Manchester City stopper Ederson out of the Selecao lineup and has been hugely impressive at the Stadio Olimpico over the last 18 months.

    Former Roma goalkeeping coach Roberto Negrisolo has referred to him as the “Messi of goalkeepers” and he was awarded the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the best goalkeeper in La Liga for 2015/16, having conceded 18 goals in 38 games, equaling the 22-year-old record of Deportivo stopper Francisco Liano.

    Is expected to be in demand this summer with Real Madrid, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain all on the lookout for a new keeper, while Juventus could also move if Gianluigi Buffon calls time on his career.

    Allison

    *League

    **League and Champions League

    Recommended