Gianluigi Donnarumma endured a tough night as his team Manchester City faced Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening in the UEFA Champions League, losing 2-4 at home. This was the first match for the Italian goalkeeper against his former club since leaving in the summer of 2025.
Donnarumma hoped to deliver a strong performance against Paris Saint-Germain, the team that helped him secure his first UEFA Champions League title, to prove the management and coach Luis Enrique wrong for letting him go. However, the Italian goalkeeper did not perform to expectations and made significant errors during the match, leading to sharp criticism from British media.
Gianluigi Donnarumma conceded a goal from a shot by Džeri Duj in the 13th minute, failing to save it despite it being in the near corner, before making a mistake in dealing with a shot from Matvey Safonov in the 63rd minute, allowing Paris Saint-Germain to score their fourth goal. Chris Sutton, a BBC analyst, criticized the Italian goalkeeper's performance, stating that his error was catastrophic at a time when Manchester City were trying to get back into the match. Despite saving six shots, Donnarumma did not show the required stability in passing and build-up play, receiving a rating of 2.5 out of 10 according to "Foot Mercato" ratings.
Meanwhile, the Russian Matvey Safonov continued to deliver strong performances with Paris Saint-Germain, having saved six shots, including a crucial attempt from Erling Haaland in the 83rd minute, denying him his third goal of the match. Safonov has gradually established himself in Luis Enrique's plans, benefiting from the decline in form of Lucas Chevalier, who the club originally signed to succeed Gianluigi Donnarumma. Although the Italian goalkeeper still possesses great physical abilities, the match highlighted the difference between his struggling performance that night and the rise of his Russian rival, who is now solidifying his position in the Parisian club's project.
