Olivier Giroud is one of Europe’s best penalty takers, despite Napoli miss

AC Milan progressed to the semi-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night despite a missed penalty from Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman’s spot kick was brilliantly saved by Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret but Giroud made ammends with a neatly taken strike soon after.

That penalty miss was just the second of Giroud’s career, after he also missed one in an EFL Cup game for Arsenal in 2012. The AC Milan striker possesses one of European football’s best records from the spot having scored 27 of his 29 penalties (93.1%).

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Before that miss Giroud was briefly ranked as the best penalty taker in Europe after Brentford forward Ivan Toney missed from the spot against Newcastle United earlier this month.

Tuesday’s miss sees Giroud drop to seventh in the list of active players and Borussia Dortmund’s Sebastien Haller replaces him at the top. Haller has missed just one of his 27 career club penalties (96.3%). Close behind Haller are Liverpool’s Fabinho and Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raúl Jiménez.

Europe’s top penalty takers

1. Sebastien Haller (Borussia Dortmund): 96.3% - 26/27
2. Fabinho - Liverpool FC: 96% - 24/25
3. Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton): 94.1% - 32/34
4. Erling Haaland (Man City): 93.5% - 29/31
5. Cristian Stuani (Girona): 93.3% - 42/45
6. Ivan Toney (Brentford): 93.3% - 28/30
7. Olivier Giroud (AC Milan): 93.1% - 27/29
8. Thomas Mangani (AC Ajaccio): 91.3% - 21/23
9. Luis Muriel (Atalanta): 91.3% - 21/23
10. Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig): 91.2% - 31/34
11. Chris Wood (Nottingham): 90.3% - 28/31
12. Teji Savanier (Montpellier): 90.3% - 28/31
13. Borja Iglesias (Betis): 90% - 36/40
14. Arkadiusz Milik (Juventus): 90%- 18/20
15. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona): 89% - 73/82