MILAN – Two, three, four vital saves. The Inter fans were left rubbing their eyes at the sight of their new goalkeeper, a towering figure at nearly two metres in height, lighting up his first Derby della Maddonnina with a superlative performance.
It was the 2012/13 season. Samir Handanovic had only been signed from Udinese a few months previously, but his display in the derby was vital in securing a 1-0 win for his new side (part of Inter’s ten-game winning run in all competitions, as it happened).
Perfectly timed forays off his line, acrobatic dives, safe hands and – most important of all – an overbearing sense of calm, Handanovic played as if it was a five-a-side match back in his hometown of Ljubljana, not the biggest game of the season for the city of Milan. It would prove to be a sign of things to come for Handanovic at Inter.
Both on and off the pitch, Handanovic has grasped the importance of waiting for the perfect moment. He is a mild, balanced man, his personality formed through a childhood spent growing up in the Nove Fuzine ghetto district of Ljubljana, sandwiched between grey housing estates and the green hills of Ljubljana Castle.
Handanovic’s career began at Slovan, where he struck up a close relationship with coach Slavisa Stojanovic. The young Handanovic would follow Stojanovic to Domzale, where he made his debut in the Slovenian top flight at the age of 19. Domzale’s new jewel was clearly a talented young keeper and it was not long before the scouting team at Udinese took notice. Their minds were quickly made up: Handanovic had just seven Domzale appearances to his name when he signed for the Italian club.
Udinese would not be home for long, however. The Pozzo family loaned Handanovic out to newly promoted Treviso for the 2005/06 campaign, where it was hoped he could continue his development out of the spotlight. Yet Treviso – initially forced to play away from their home stadium due to FA constraints – found life in Serie A tough and Handanovic paid the price, losing his place in the team after a hat-trick of defeats, including one at San Siro against Inter.
Handanovic’s spell at Treviso was cut short and the Slovenian instead joined Lazio for the second half of 2005/06, making just one appearance in the last game of the season. It was a hard time for the goalkeeper, but chess matches with his father provided some respite.
Handanovic joined Rimini for the 2006/07 season, with the Adriatic coast proving the ideal setting for the Slovenian to kickstart his career and establish his position as the leading light in Slovenia’s new generation of goalkeepers (also composed of Samir’s cousin, Jasmin Handanovic, and Vic Belec, who won the Primavera championship with Inter in 2007).
Back at Udinese, Handanovic took over the main goalkeeping responsibilities from Morgan De Sanctis and continued maturing into a fine keeper. Personal achievements such as setting the Italian record for the most penalties saved in a single season, with six in the 2010/11 campaign, which saw him named the goalkeeper in the AIC Team of the Year, were matched by success with Udinese, as Pasquale Marino – a great champion of Handanovic – led the side to the Europa League last 16.
It was these achievements that saw a big move to Inter materialise in the summer of 2012. Handanovic had reached the promised land of European football, La Scala del Calcio, yet there was little different about him from that youngster on the streets of Ljubljana. Handanovic is still humble and quiet, despite being the Nerazzurri’s undisputed No.1 in both Serie A and Europe.
It's said that good things come to those who wait. Handanovic – that calm, silent presence between the sticks, his steely eyes fixed on the ball – has proved as much.
Aniello Luciano
