Mid-season report: Top 10 players from Europe this season so far
As we approach the halfway mark of what has been an amazing season so far, it is time to rewind and look at the best performers across Europe’s top leagues.We have seen some top class performances from some of our usual suspects and we have seen some unexpected displays from players like Jamie Vardy and Odion Ighalo. We also have players like Angel Di Maria and Javier Hernandez returning to their best form during the ongoing season. But are their performances good enough to warrant a place in the Top 10?It is extremely difficult to pick a Top 10 with so many players doing so well for their clubs in different leagues, but at the end of the day someone or the other has to be left out. Will Lionel Messi who missed two months of action due to an injury and Cristiano Ronaldo who has been a shadow of his former self make the cut? Read on.Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and they do not necessarily represent the views of Sportskeeda.
#10 Samir Handanovic (Internazionale)
Going into the New Year, Inter Milan are top of the Serie A table and it is a welcome sight after seeing Juventus dominate the league in recent years.
The former Champions League winners are top of the table thanks to their rock solid defence. Inter have conceded the least number of goals in the division this season with just 11 conceded from 17 games. This brilliant defensive display is not just down to their defenders, but also because of their inform keeper Samir Handanovic.
The Slovenian has the highest number of clean-sheets in the league with 11 to his name and has saved 67 of the 73 shots on target he has faced. This gives him a save percentage of 84.9, which is the highest in the league. Only two goal keepers have saved more shots than Handanovic in the league so far, but both of them have faced over 90 shots on target.
Handanovic has played a great role in organising the Inter defence and has made some amazing saves to help his team out. His stunning quadruple save in Inter’s win over Roma and his match winning save to stop Mattia Destro in the dying minutes of the game against Bologna are some of the highlights of his season so far.
Honourable Mention: Anthony Lopes (Olympique Lyon)