Goalkeepers play an important role in making sure their football club are able to win matches, which in turn, will also mean titles. Whilst goalscorers will generally grab the headlines with their ability to put the ball in the back of the net more often than not, the individual between the sticks is the man that sometimes goes a little unheralded at times.
However, for bettors, they can prove to be either frustrating or delightful during matches with their performances – especially by those who place bets on the matches by using sites such as https://s-bobet.com/ when the action is happening.
But, which goalkeepers have proven to be the most frustrating for strikers within the tournament over the years? These are just some of the ‘keepers to have kept the most clean sheets in the UEFA Europa League – the old UEFA Cup – over the years (all data via TransferMarkt).
Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga was an incredible goalkeeper during his playing career and he really performed at the top of his game for Inter Milan when they featured in the tournament. In his 69 matches in the competition, Zenga managed to keep 35 clean sheets for I Nerazzurri – an average return of just over 1 every two matches.
Frank Rost
German shot-stopper Frank Rost appeared in the UEFA Cup and later renamed Europa League with three sides in Germany, however he put up a number of top performances in the competition as he proved almost unbeatable. During spells with SV Werder Bremen, Schalke 04 and Hamburger SV, he managed 35 clean sheets in 87 appearances – matching Zenga’s record for the number of shutouts recorded.
Luca Marchegiani
Another Italian on the list, Luca Marchegiani managed to keep 31 clean sheets in his 50 appearances in the tournament for AC Milan and SS Lazio throughout the 90s. During those 50 matches, he conceded 35 goals – which seems strange considering only 19 matches saw him beaten.
Pepe Reina
Some players play for a host of clubs throughout their playing days but they do not necessarily get to play for sides who regularly compete in top club competitions. However, Pepe Reina was that good that he featured for five different teams that managed to appear in the Europa League over the years. The Spaniard represented Barcelona, Villarreal, Liverpool, Napoli and AC Milan and managed to make 71 appearances in which he kept 29 clean sheets.
Toni Schumacher
Toni Schumacher featured for 1. FC Koln for much of his career in regards to the UEFA Cup, however he also managed to make a handful of appearances for Turkish outfit Fenerbahce prior to hanging up his gloves. In 58 appearances, he managed to keep 23 clean sheets.
