Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had a performance to forget in Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg loss to Real Madrid. Donnarumma’s second half blunder allowed for Real Madrid to score its first goal of the tie, and from there, Los Blancos added two more goals to clinch a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Both Donnarumma and Marco Verratti have joined up with the Italian national team for its upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff qualifying fixture against North Macedonia. In speaking during a pre-match press conference (via FIGC), the Italian midfielder came to the defense of Donnarumma.
“Gigio, he was sorry for the mistake, but he’s a special guy,” Verratti said. “The next day he was already enthusiastically at work.
“Let’s not forget what he did during the European Championship, he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”
Donnarumma is slated to go on and start for Italy against North Macedonia. As was the case throughout Euro 2020, Italy sure will need the goalkeeper to rise to the occasion and provide for a keen showing in the match in order to keep its aspirations alive of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
