Donnarumma’s nightmarish night and gray clouds on his future
An apparently innocent backpass.
The sudden, shrinking offensive pressing operated by Real Madrid’s forwards.
A single, decisive moment of hesitation.
Benzema, suddenly breathing down on his neck.
That’s how Donnarumma’s nightmare at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, started.
Gigio’s bittersweet militance in Paris Saint Germain has already been widely discussed.
However, what seemed to be just a diesel cold start that would have eventually brought — or, fair to say, maintained — the Italian goalkeeper on the top of the soccer universe, might quickly come to an end.
Certainly, what happened on Wednesday evening didn’t benefit the whole situation.
Anonymous sources told ESPN about a burning post-match in the Bernabeu’s PSG locker rooms.
Donnarumma himself and Brazilian forward Neymar had to be separated by their teammates after going face-to-face, blaming each other for having paved the way to the Blancos’ comeback.
After an encouraging cameo in the 1st leg, Neymar appeared blurry and still out of the game dynamics. Photograph: Boris Horvat/AFP/Getty Images
Donnarumma, in particular, pointed out that Real’s second goal was propitiated by a ball loss by Neymar in favor of Luka Modric.
The two of them later denied any incident.
However, what is clear now, is that Donnarumma’s permanence under the Tour Eiffel is on the brink.
The news comes from the Italian sports newspaper “La Gazzetta Dello Sport,” underlying a certain, and never dormant, feeling between “Gigio” and Juventus.
Over the past summer, the Bianconeri were apparently in pole-position to acquire Donnarumma’s performances, fresh winner of the "Player of the Tournament" award at Euro 2020.
Donnarumma receives his “Player of the Tournament” award from UEFA president Alexander Ceferin. Photograph: EPA
Then, the 9 million offer from PSG — part of a majestic transfer campaign aimed at winning everything and immediately — and Juventus’ precarious economic situation made the situation take a different turn.
The conditional tense is compulsory. However, if Donnarumma will leave PSG over the next summer windows transfer, with all the goalkeeper major teams’ spots already taken and secured, Juventus one might be the only viable road for a fresh restart.