Serie A Penalty Crisis Explained: 32 Attempts, 10 Misses, and Inter's Stars as Positive Examples

Serie A has always been known for its defensive strength, tactical complexity, and intense competition. Yet, one trend that has emerged this season is drawing concern among fans and analysts alike—an alarming penalty crisis. With penalties historically representing a key chance to break deadlock in tight matches, the inefficiency of Serie A players from the spot in 2023 has been striking.

A recent report, cited by La Gazzetta dello Sport, highlights this growing issue, especially following AC Milan’s 1-2 defeat to Fiorentina in round 7 of the Serie A season. The match saw fans of the Rossoneri once again turning their frustrations toward head coach Fonseca, demanding his exit. High-profile critics like Massimiliano Allegri’s former mentor, Giovanni Galeone, have claimed that Milan possesses the players to be title contenders but lacks the defensive solidity needed to challenge at the highest level. According to Galeone and others, simply replacing Fonseca with Allegri could elevate Milan to a championship level.

However, some experts have taken a more nuanced view, recognizing that Milan’s issues are deeper than just coaching decisions. Among the most pressing concerns is their poor performance in penalty situations, a microcosm of a larger problem across Serie A this season. Theo Hernández and Tammy Abraham, two of Milan’s designated penalty takers, have both failed to convert key opportunities, with their shots being saved by Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. The real question being asked is: Why are players with such mediocre penalty records being trusted with these crucial moments?

The Alarming Penalty Miss Rate

This issue is not isolated to Milan alone. Across the first seven rounds of Serie A, teams have been awarded a total of 32 penalties. Shockingly, 10 of these penalties were missed, a failure rate of 31.25%. This is an unusually high figure and marks one of the lowest penalty success rates in the past decade. Only during Napoli’s title-winning season, when penalties were converted at just 64.71%, has Serie A seen a worse performance in recent years.

Even more concerning is how these penalties are being missed. Out of the 10 misses, 2 attempts were completely off target, while 8 were saved by the goalkeeper. This means goalkeepers in Serie A are now saving penalties at a rate of 25%, the second-highest mark over the past ten seasons.

Why Has This Penalty Crisis Emerged?

Italian media outlets have pointed to two primary factors behind this phenomenon. The first is the improvement in goalkeeper quality. With players like David de Gea and Sergio Romero now in Serie A, the league boasts several keepers who excel at saving penalties. This increased competition between top-tier goalkeepers has shifted the balance of power slightly, making the 12-yard showdown a more evenly matched contest.

De Gea, for instance, has shown his prowess in spot-kick situations, denying both Hernández and Abraham in their recent attempts. Meanwhile, his counterpart at Inter Milan, Yann Sommer, has built a reputation as one of the most skilled penalty stoppers in the world. Sommer’s heroics against Junior Messias earlier in the season added to his tally of 17 career penalty saves in normal time (excluding shootouts). By comparison, Bologna’s Łukasz Skorupski has saved 15 penalties, while Milan’s Mike Maignan has 12. While Sommer’s stature—standing at 6 feet—suggests that he may not have the typical physical attributes of a penalty specialist, his ability to read the game and make quick decisions compensates for any perceived height disadvantage.

Sommer’s growth has been remarkable. At Bayern Munich, his record on penalties was less impressive, managing to save only 4 of 44 attempts. But since joining Serie A, he has saved 2 out of 5 penalties, including an impressive stop against Nico González, significantly improving his save percentage. His reputation for stepping up in high-pressure situations, particularly in international tournaments, has only added to the intimidation factor he presents to opposing penalty takers.

Management Failures and Tactical Oversights

The second major issue lies in player management. A prime example is AC Milan’s handling of their penalty situation. Theo Hernández, whose career penalty conversion rate is an unimpressive 57.14% (missing nearly 43% of his attempts), continues to take spot-kicks for the Rossoneri. This decision points to a larger issue within Milan’s coaching staff. The fact that Hernández, despite his low success rate, remains the preferred option from the spot highlights a management problem. Fonseca, still new to the role, appears unable to assert his authority and make the tough decisions necessary to appoint the most reliable penalty takers.

Many have compared Milan’s situation to what Inter Milan faced a few seasons ago with Lautaro Martínez. Lautaro, a fantastic striker in open play, struggled from the spot, missing 6 of 17 penalty attempts in Serie A. After a particularly poor run in early 2024, Inter’s management decided to relieve Lautaro of his penalty-taking duties. Since then, the team has enjoyed more stability in these high-pressure moments, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu stepping up as the club’s main penalty taker.

Inter Milan: A Positive Example

Inter Milan’s handling of their penalty situation stands in stark contrast to AC Milan’s mismanagement. Last season, Inter was awarded 14 penalties—more than AC Milan and Juventus combined (8 and 5, respectively). This imbalance in penalty awards led some media outlets, particularly in Rome and Turin, to propagate conspiracy theories about favoritism toward Inter. Yet, so far this season, Inter has only been awarded 1 penalty, while AC Milan has received 4, and Juventus 3. Curiously, these same outlets have remained silent on the issue now that Inter’s penalty count has significantly decreased.

Despite receiving fewer penalties this season, Inter boasts one of the best penalty takers in Serie A in Çalhanoğlu. The Turkish midfielder has converted all 17 of his penalty attempts in Italy’s top flight, making him a model of consistency from the spot. With a player of Çalhanoğlu’s caliber handling penalties, Inter has found itself less vulnerable to the same kind of penalty crisis afflicting Milan and other Serie A teams.

As for Lautaro Martínez, Inter’s decision to take him off penalty duties has proven to be a positive move for both the player and the club. Lautaro’s struggles with penalties were never a reflection of his overall ability—he remains one of the league’s top forwards—but rather an indication that penalty taking is a specific skill not all players excel at. By removing him from this role, Inter has alleviated some of the pressure on Lautaro, allowing him to focus on his strengths and improving the team’s overall penalty success rate.

Lessons for Serie A Clubs

Ultimately, the penalty crisis in Serie A is a multifaceted issue. On the one hand, the rising quality of goalkeepers like De Gea, Sommer, and Skorupski is making life more difficult for penalty takers across the league. On the other hand, poor management decisions, like allowing players with weak penalty records to take responsibility in crucial moments, are exacerbating the problem.

As this season unfolds, it will be interesting to see how teams adapt to these challenges. Will AC Milan follow Inter’s example and make the necessary changes to improve their penalty-taking fortunes? Or will the penalty crisis continue to plague Serie A, leading to more missed opportunities and lost points in crucial matches? For now, the spotlight is on the managers and players, and how they respond will shape the narrative of the rest of the season.