Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was promoted to the starting line-up by Christophe Galtier, had another mixed night against Juventus (2-1) on Tuesday, as Paris Saint-Germain entered the Champions League. Sometimes great, sometimes frustrating, the Italian keeper has once again shown two distinct faces.
Six months. Six months to wait, to brood, to boil. In the meantime, another blow on the head with the elimination from the race to the World Cup. Six months to think about this appointment in the Champions League to draw a line on his mistake that precipitated the Paris Saint-Germain in the ravine, one evening of March, in Madrid. Six months … for nothing, or almost.
Two great saves… and a mistake
Gianluigi Donnarumma (23), who was promoted to the starting goalkeeper by Christophe Galtier, did not reassure against Juventus (2-1) on Tuesday. The most optimistic remembered his two exceptional saves on Arkadiusz Milik and Dusan Vlahovic’s headers. And they are right to underline these two great interventions of the Italian keeper, always so impressive on his line. But the best player of the last Euro showed again some worrying limits.
While Paris was quietly leading the way and Kylian Mbappé could have put his team in the clear with a bit of selflessness, the Azzurri’s last line of defence once again showed itself to be a little shaky in its reading of the game. On the equalizer of Weston McKennie, he came out too unauthorized, changing his mind before the head of the American midfielder, to be surprised. A hesitation that put the Old Lady back in the game.
Navas is always there…
If PSG managed to win, these repetitive errors of Donnarumma have a perverse effect on his relationship with his defenders, who were also not imperious in the duels of the head with the Turin strikers. With so little confidence in his decision making, his aerial exits or even his footwork, the French champion will have structural concerns that will inevitably be exploited by opponents.
To make matters worse, Donnarumma thought he was going to play this season with the assurance of being the undisputed number one. For now, this status is not in question. But if he does not erase this recurring defect immediately, the pressure could increase with the retention of Keylor Navas in the squad. In any case, the Costa Rican keeper will not miss the opportunity to show that he can be reliable at any time.
