Modern goalkeepers are often expected to be great with their feet as much as they can stop shots. Manchester United got rid of David De Gea primarily because he lacked one of these qualities. They got Onana, who can use his feet but isn’t so great at stopping. Andre Onana has been a culprit for many blunders already.
PSG is currently going through the same dilemma with Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is an incredible shot-stopper but not so elegant with his feet. His recent miskick even caused him a red card amongst all the losses he has caused the team.
Luis Enrique backs Gianluigi Donnarumma
Luis Enrique has found himself repeatedly defending his goalkeeper in recent weeks. Although mistakes against Reims and Monaco didn’t have significant consequences, a parried save that led to a goal against Newcastle proved costly for PSG in the Champions League. The concern goes beyond the frequency of errors to encompass their variety.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is an incredible shot stopper but not as good with his feet. The standout performance by the Italian goalkeeper in the Euro 2020 final against England, where he saved two penalties in the shootout, earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
However, the PSG goalkeeper does not fit the profile of a modern goalkeeper, leaving Luis Enrique torn in the dilemma of choosing a shot stopper or a keeper excellent at possession. His struggles with ball possession and a notable incident in the Champions League last year, where he was dispossessed by Karim Benzema, have brought attention to his deficiencies in this aspect.
Despite his deficiencies, however, Luis Enrique has once again leaped to his defence, saying, “Gigio did what I asked of him.” Donnarumma’s actions, which led to a red card in the match against Le Havre, were acknowledged by the manager, who emphasized that he instructs the goalkeeper to cover the space, taking responsibility for the outcome, saying, “Most of the time it goes well. When it doesn’t, it’s my problem.”
Gianluigi Donnarumma kicked opponent in the face
Perhaps it is Gianluigi Donnarumma’s failure to master the use of his feet that resulted in a miskick landing on the opponent.
Gianluigi Donnarumma received a red card in the 10th minute of Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 match against Le Havre for a flying “kung-fu kick.”
Gianluigi Donnarumma, the 24-year-old goalkeeper, found himself caught in hesitation on the edge of his box during a long ball played over the top. Unfortunately, he waited too long and was beaten to the bounce of the ball by Josue Casimir, leading to his red card in the 10th minute of the match against Le Havre.
In addition to his seemingly amateurish hesitation, he appeared to have also misjudged the bounce on the ball. He swung his boot but caught the opponent, who was up close, instead of the ball. The referee promptly showed Gianluigi Donnarumma a straight red card in response to the reckless challenge, forcing Paris Saint-Germain to play the rest of the match with only 10 players.
