As Roma closed in on a crucial 1-0 win over Fiorentina on Sunday, a sell-out Stadio Olimpico crowd bellowed out a united chorus: “Ole, ole, ole, ole, Svilar, Svilar.” It is unlikely to be the last time the goalkeeper’s name rings around the Eternal City’s famous old ground.

Since Paulo Dybala picked up a season-ending injury in March, Mile Svilar has unexpectedly adopted the role of Giallorossi game changer.

While Matias Soule’s thunderbolt strikes will be more celebrated, no player in the Lupi squad has been more important to propelling Claudio Ranieri’s side into Champions League contention than Svilar. His performance against La Viola underlined why.

Roma’s defensive armour has been exasperatingly difficult for opponents to penetrate on this astonishing 19-match unbeaten run in the league, but Fiorentina succeeded several times.

In the 27th minute, Moise Kean spun Zeki Celik to go clear through on goal, but Svilar rushed off his line to charge down the finish with his chest. Two minutes later, Kean threatened again with a drilled shot from a tight angle, but the keeper quickly got down to palm it out.

Midway through the second half, the ball broke to Rolando Mandragora in the box, but the midfielder was left throwing his arms in the air in disbelief when Svilar stuck a leg out to block the effort off the line.

Then came the masterpiece. With seven minutes left on the clock, Kean again got in behind the defence, but Svilar leapt left to get a glove to his shot before springing to his feet to gather the rebound.

“That was the most difficult save,” Svilar said as he picked up his man-of-the-match award at full-time. The crowd realised it, too. It was at that moment that the song began; recognition from the home crowd that their keeper was to thank for claiming three more precious points.

At the other end, Roma were clinical. Artem Dovbyk headed home one of the few chances the hosts created in a display that typified their corto muso winning formula under Ranieri.

The xG tally at the final whistle told a story: Roma 0.63-0.96 Fiorentina. On most days, the visitors would have taken at least a point from this game – but that is easier said than done when Svilar stands in your way.

“We came up against a sensational goalkeeper. There is a reason he was voted man of the match,” Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino admitted.

The papers were unanimous in their praise, too. Gazzetta dello Sport said “the win belongs to him” and Tuttosport called his saves “miraculous.” Il Messaggero, meanwhile, pointed to a subject that is becoming more topical with every passing week in the capital. “Every day his renewal is delayed is a day lost,” wrote the Roman paper.

Svilar’s Rollercoaster Rise

Born in the Belgian city of Antwerp, Svilar came through the youth ranks at Anderlecht before joining Portuguese giants Benfica as a teenager in 2017.

It was in Lisbon that his name first hit the headlines across Europe, as he broke a record held by the great Iker Casillas to become the youngest goalkeeper to feature in the Champions League in October that year.

That landmark came in a shaky 1-0 defeat by Manchester United at the age of 18 years and 52 days. When the clubs met for a second time, Svilar became the youngster keeper both to save a penalty (from Anthony Martial) and score an own goal (in a 2-0 loss).

He spent five years with Benfica but made just 23 first-team appearances before joining Roma on a free transfer in the summer of 2022 to act as deputy to Jose Mourinho’s go-to guy Rui Patricio.

Despite regular calls for the error-prone Patricio to be dropped, Svilar had to wait for Mourinho’s dismissal at the start of 2024 before he started to get opportunities in Rome.

His penalty shootout heroics against Feyenoord in the Europa League play-off round earned him plaudits, and Daniele De Rossi’s subsequent promotion of Svilar to first-choice keeper in February 2024 was a moment he seized with both gloves.

That said, this was a story of steady improvement until Svilar’s recent explosion. The Transfermarkt portal had him valued at €9million when the season started, but that has since almost doubled to €17m after a period of sizzling hot form.

Roma have won nine games 1-0 this season, more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues, when Svilar has been playing and he has been key.

He produced heroics in the 1-1 Rome derby draw with Lazio recently too, and by now there is a common consensus that if Roma do end their seven-year wait for Champions League football, they will owe a debt of gratitude to the man between the sticks.

Sunday’s effort was the keeper’s 15th clean sheet of the season in Serie A, and although that has been aided by a gargantuan shift by Ranieri’s military-grade drills in defence, it is not entirely.

Svilar’s save percentage of 77.6% is the best in the league and his total of 111 saves ranks third, behind Torino’s Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (123) and Wladimiro Falcone of Lecce (116).

His form in Roma’s miraculous 2025 has been critical to putting them where they are in the standings, with the Fiorentina game being a prime example of how his interventions have directly won them points.

It is no wonder, then, that his contract situation has become a big talking point.

‘No Hurry’ as Talks Continue

Svilar has two years left to run on his contract but talks are reportedly ongoing for an improved deal.

The 25-year-old’s salary reflects his original position as a reserve keeper, as he is among the lowest-paid players in the Roma squad on €800,000 net per year.

His representatives have been in Rome to discuss updated terms, and Corriere dello Sport reported on Tuesday that an offer has been made for a five-year deal worth €3m net per year plus a €1m bonus.

Although a supposed delay due to disagreements over a release clause might cause some concern, not to mention whispers of interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, everything seems calm from the player and the club.

“We are in no hurry,” Roma sporting director Florent Ghisolfi said before the Fiorentina match. “He has a deal to 2027 and we are talking. We are optimistic, he wants to stay at Roma, and we want to build our future with him… he deserves a renewal.”

Svilar himself referred to Rome as “my home” after the Fiorentina win, and he has made his thoughts on his future perfectly clear.

“Money matters but what matters more is finding a place where you feel good and where you can see a project,” he told CdS last month. “I want to stay 100% and my family does too. We are very happy at Roma and in Rome.”

Those words will be music to Romanisti ears after the season the former Benfica man has had to date.

Alasdair Mackenzie is freelance sports reporter working and living in Rome. Follow him on X – @aksmackenzie