The Getafe goalkeeper now ranks as the fifth to save the most penalties in the history of the competition against Real Madrid.
By Angel Cebrian Maybe because he doesn’t play for a team chasing the national title, perhaps because he never had the chance to debut with the Spanish national team, or maybe because he stays in a country with some of the world’s best goalkeepers. What remains true is that David Soria often receives little attention for the level he consistently displays on the pitch.
That point was underscored when Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty was saved at the Reale Arena: David Soria became the fifth goalkeeper in First Division history to stop 11 penalties. That tally places him among Spain’s goalkeeping legends like Iker Casillas and Santiago Cañizares, who finished their careers with similar numbers. With ten days to go, he is within reach of the podium he looms over: just one more stop would tie him with third place (Asenjo and Diego López at 12) and two more would move him to the second spot (Palop at 13).
Beyond his knack for denying spot kicks, Soria also anchors Getafe’s defensive solidity, a hallmark of a side fighting to stay competitive. He is the fourth goalkeeper with the most saves in the league this season, totaling 93, averaging 3.32 saves per game. He sits fifth in the Zamora Trophy race, carrying a goals-conceded-per-game ratio of 1.29, not far from Mamardashvili at 1.21 (fourth) and Rajković at 1.07 (third). All signs point to a potential climb back into the top finish he achieved during the 2018-19 campaign, a moment that still echoes in club history.
Since arriving in the summer of 2018, Soria has earned the unanimous respect of the coaches who have guided the azulón club. With his contract set to expire in June, the 30-year-old goalkeeper is enjoying what many would describe as a peak phase in his career, a veteran at the doorstep of national selection considerations and a regular on the radar of teams seeking proven stability between the posts. It would be a pity if Getafe could not retain a player who has been a cornerstone for the squad, yet the market for experienced shot-stoppers remains active, and clubs with ambitions might be lining up in the wings. A recent extension to 2026 was reported, though neither party has publicly confirmed the terms.
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The road ahead is daunting: stopping a Barcelona side intent on speeding toward a championship celebration at the Colosseum Alfonso Pérez would require discipline, precision, and a touch of luck that every great goalkeeper needs at this level.