From our special envoy to Birmingham,
What if Gianluigi Donnarumma's fate at PSG had changed on December 18, when taking the sole of Wilfried Singo in the face? Not that the Italian goalkeeper has hitherto been a choir child, but since this accident, “Gigio” has been walking around with a huge balafre on the right cheek that would change the sidewalk any person who would meet him in an alley in the middle of the night.
And it may be this beautiful scar (ten stitches anyway) that scares the opposing attackers. Because, since this December 18, we have never seen the former AC Milan porter as decisive, especially in important matches, such as those against Liverpool and Aston Villa, in the eighth and quarter -final of the Champions League. A touch of fault during the first leg against the Reds, Donnarumma had achieved XXL performance in Anfield with two shots on the goal.
Tuesday evening, in the Midlands, the Italian well conceded three goals, on which he could not do much, but he especially saved Paris Saint-Germain from a heavier defeat synonymous with extension, even elimination. Fouurious against his teammates who took the water from all sides, he managed to maintain the boat afloat thanks in particular to three magnificent stops at the height of the domination of Villa.
The tap on a rashford shot
Already the author of a few decisive judgments, notably in front of Pau Torres and Marcus Rashford, Gianluigi Donnarumma will release a magnificent strike from the former Manchester United striker (57th), who had played the Parisian defense before transplanting in the axis and sending a powerful rolled shot.
The reflex on Tielemans' head
Aston Villa has just scored two goals to blow it and continues to push strongly on Parisian goals to try to score this fourth goal synonymous with extension. Following a bad release from Marquinhos, the ball arrives directly on Youri Tielemans, which puts everything it has to send a whim that is both powerful, lobed and perfectly placed (59th). But the Italian relaxes his meter eighty-six to repel the attempt of the Belgian, who had managed to deceive him in the first period.
The duel won against Asensio
The highlight of the villans has passed, but the English club is always one small goal to send PSG to overtime. At the 70th minute of play, taking advantage of a poor anticipation of Pacho, Marco Asensio is launched in depth. The player loaned by Paris finds himself alone against Donnarumma, but misses his duel. The Parisian goalkeeper succeeds by standing as long as possible, like a Neuer manual, to repel the attempt by Spanish.
Give him the extension for life (or almost)
All these judgments have earned Italian to be the only individuality of PSG to receive praise from his teammates at the end of the game. “To be champions, we need a large goalkeeper, and ours always shows its value,” insisted Marquinhos at the microphone of Canal+, while the vice-captain Achraf Hakimi was going, for his part, a little further:
« We know the goalkeeper we have. Today (Tuesday), he still showed it, he helped us a lot. Many people doubt him, but we never doubted him. He is one of the best guards in the world, we are happy that he is at PSG. We hope it will stay with us for a long time. »
No need for an agent when you have the Moroccan as a teammate. Because the extension of the Italian, at the end of the contract in Paris in 2026, has still not been activated, despite the player's wish to continue the adventure in Paris, where he arrived in 2021. “We must do things well in the interest of the player,” explained Enzo Raiola, his real agent, in The team A month ago. But this is the only club where Gianluigi wants to sign. We will see how it ends, but the priority is to extend in Paris. »»
« Discussions positives »
So what is PSG waiting for to prolong it? “We are talking with the leaders since last summer around a new contract,” said Raiola. This is not an easy situation, because there are parameters that PSG has changed a bit because of financial fair play. There are new rules at the club. But I must say that the discussions are positive, even if we do not yet agree. »»
Since these words, Donnarumma has therefore shown in the biggest competition of clubs in the world that it had become essential, even if we trembled a little at the start of the match on Tuesday during a release directly under the pressure of the villans. But he was the only one who did not drown under the waves of the Claret & Blue in the second period to preserve the essentials.
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So, out of the question to bring in unnecessary competition like Lucas Chevalier (Lille), tracked by the capital's club, after having already cohabited with Keylor Navas. We could believe that the nice Matvey Safonov was going to come and jostle a little Gianluigi Donnarumma, it was nothing. It takes much more to come and injure the Italian. And don't add a second balaf on his head, he could turn into Dino Zoff.
