A Journey Through Jean Butez’s Numbers

After finishing 2025 on a high with an away win at Lecce, Como have carried that momentum into the new year, securing victories against Udinese and Pisa while keeping clean sheets in both matches, prior to the 1-1 draw against Bologna. The shut-out at Pisa’s Cetilar Arena on Epiphany was the club’s ninth of the season, placing Jean Butez in second place among the top goalkeepers in Europe’s five major leagues for clean sheets, right behind Arsenal’s David Raya and Lazio’s Ivan Provedel.

From seven clean sheets across 38 matches last season to nine in just 19 games this campaign, the defensive progress made under Cesc Fàbregas is clear and significant. With only 13 goals conceded in the championship so far, Como boast the second-best defensive record across Europe’s top five leagues, level with Lens and just behind Roma and Bayern Munich, who have conceded 12.

While clean sheets are often credited to the goalkeeper, the collective work of the outfield players has been fundamental in supporting Jean Butez’s performances. The contributions of Ivan Smolčić, Mërgim Vojvoda, Ignace Van der Brempt, Stefan Posch, Jacobo Ramón, Diego Carlos, Marc-Oliver Kempf, Alberto Moreno and Álex Valle have been evident throughout, showing how a well-organised, coordinated defensive structure provides stability and support.

By early January, Butez had already almost doubled his clean-sheet tally from last season (five of the previous seven, with two recorded by Pepe Reina), establishing himself as one of the most reliable, consistent and rapidly improving goalkeepers across Europe’s elite leagues. Alongside the 13 goals conceded, Como also rank 9th among the top five leagues for expected goals conceded (19.7), further reinforcing the credibility of their defensive performances.

Butez’s steady development is also visible in statistics beyond traditional goalkeeping metrics. The Frenchman ranks 16th across the top five leagues for touches inside his own penalty area (614) and 14th for touches in the defensive third (812), figures that demonstrate his involvement in build-up play and in initiating Como’s attacking phases. In Serie A, he leads all goalkeepers for passes attempted, with second-placed Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta attempting 104 fewer. His composure on the ball allows Como to play out calmly under high pressure, bypass opposition lines, and create numerical advantages from midfield forwards.

In Serie A, he concedes just 0.68 goals per 90 minutes, the second-best figure in the league behind Roma’s Mile Svilar (0.60), and also ranks fourth for save percentage, at 81.8%. The numbers surrounding Butez and Como’s defence speak for themselves, and with the French goalkeeper currently in outstanding form, decisive moments have followed, such as the penalty save against Nzola in Pisa or the incredible save made against Bologna’s Cambiaghi at the beginning of the match. The season remains long and there are many challenges lie ahead, but what Como have produced defensively so far is certainly worthy of recognition, the result of meticulous work and a clear conviction in the ideas being developed.