Five rounds into the Serie A season, the first international break arrives with Lazio and Cagliari’s early defensive work standing out as one of the clearest themes. In fantasy terms, Christos Mandas has made the strongest start among goalkeepers, turning his new status as Lazio’s first choice into the highest average score in the game.
Only players who received ratings in at least three league matches were considered for the early goalkeeper rankings. Mandas leads the way with a fantasy average of 7.5 after five scored appearances, ahead of Cagliari’s Elia Caprile and Roma’s Mile Svilar.
Mandas takes his opportunity at Lazio
The Greek goalkeeper returned to Rome after an unconvincing loan spell at Bournemouth and has been revived under Gennaro Gattuso. Ivan Provedel’s move to Inter opened the starting position, and Mandas has responded with the calm consistency required of a side making a fast start.
Lazio have conceded only three goals, giving them Serie A’s second-best defensive record behind Cagliari. Mandas has kept three clean sheets and has received no rating below a pass mark, with his merely adequate display against Milan the only match not judged positively.
His defining moment so far came in Venice, where he saved Yeboah’s penalty. That stop also earned him a three-point fantasy bonus, helping establish his lead in the early standings.
Caprile and Svilar remain close behind
Caprile has been equally important to Cagliari’s exceptional defensive opening. Valued at 21 credits, he carries a 6.6 fantasy average and has matched Mandas with three shut-outs. He has allowed only two goals in five matches, both coming against Inter and Atalanta.
Cagliari’s place as the league’s meanest defence owes much to that reliability between the posts. For a team building its season through discipline and points collected week by week, Caprile’s start has offered a secure foundation.
Roma’s Svilar completes the top three with a 6.5 average. The 40-credit goalkeeper has continued the form that made him one of Serie A’s most dependable keepers in recent seasons, recording three clean sheets while conceding three times.
| Goalkeeper | Club | Fantasy average | Clean sheets | Goals conceded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christos Mandas | Lazio | 7.5 | 3 | 3 |
| Elia Caprile | Cagliari | 6.6 | 3 | 2 |
| Mile Svilar | Roma | 6.5 | 3 | 3 |
The campaign is still young, but the first five Sundays have already produced a surprise at Lazio, confirmation at Roma and a major contribution from Caprile to Cagliari’s fine opening run.
