FCS goalkeeper Giacomo Poluzzi is in a massive slump.

Poluzzi in serious crisis: What to do, FC Südtirol?

FC Südtirol has a massive goalkeeping problem this season. This was already apparent under Federico Valente and became obvious under his successors. But what should we do in the current situation?

20 January 2025

From: cst

“Does FC Südtirol have a goalkeeping problem?” headlined SportNews on September 25th. If the question could not be answered clearly at the time, it is now clear: Yes, the FCS has a goalkeeping problem!

FC Südtirol has conceded 39 goals this season. This makes the White-Reds the shooting gallery of Serie B - by far (Sampdoria has conceded 33 goals). If the data is to be believed, then the defensive performance has deteriorated again since Valente left. The 5 goals conceded on Sunday at Sassuolo were the negative highlight. The league leaders never should have scored so often. Sassuolo's xG value, i.e. the expected goals in relation to the number of shots on goal, was just 1,4.

Poluzzi with devastating data

The FCS conceded goals far too easily in the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia. Poluzzi, who has been in poor form for weeks and has deteriorated even further since his injury break in late autumn, is also to blame for this. The FCS goalkeeper only parries 58,5 percent (source of all data: Opta) of all shots that come at his goal. For comparison: last year the figure was 68,4 percent, and in the FCS' debut season in Serie B it was even 78,4 percent. In 2022/23 he was - according to statistics - the fourth best goalkeeper in Serie B.

This year, Poluzzi has the worst value (-3,9) of all goalkeepers in the league in terms of expected goals conceded based on shots. But things can be different. Frosinone goalkeeper Michele Cerofolini, who is also in the relegation battle, has a value of +3,6. This means that Cerofolini saves his team from conceding (even more) goals quite often. For Poluzzi, it is the other way round. The FCS concedes many more goals than the statistics would allow. Poluzzi already had a bad value in the autumn (-2,0 at the time), but the FCS goalkeeper's data in this area is now disastrous.

In the relegation battle, a strong number 1 is needed

Data doesn't lie, but it's not always the (only) decisive factor either. Poluzzi will be 37 years old in February. At FCS, he has always enjoyed the status of undisputed number 1. And in recent years, he was rightly so. But the FCS goalkeeper has now become a security risk. He missed 5 games this year due to injury, another first in his time in Bozen.

Eugenio Lamanna is one of the two FCS goalkeepers that Paolo Bravo brought in during the winter. © FC Südtirol

Bravo reacted to the transfer market in the winter and signed two new goalkeepers. Marius Adamonis (2) from Catania and the clubless Eugenio Lamanna (27). It remains to be seen whether FCS coach Fabrizio Castori will soon give one of the two reserve goalkeepers a chance. Especially since Adamonis had an unfortunate autumn in Catania and Lamanna, who is the regular number 35, has only played 3 times in the last 5 years. But it is also a fact that the White-Reds need strong support in the relegation battle. Good goalkeeping performances can ultimately make the difference as to whether a team is relegated or not.

FC Südtirol has a lot to thank Poluzzi for in recent years. But he is currently in a terrible slump. It is more than questionable whether the veteran will ever recover from this. Professional football is a thankless business, and in the end, only the performances in the here and now count. Nostalgia is out of place, especially when it is a question of survival in Serie B.