Soccer
Look away if you’re squeamish: the horrific facial injury suffered by PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma
Goalkeeper Donnarumma had to be substituted in the first half in PSG’s win over Monaco after receiving a boot to the face from Wilfired Singo.
It was the 17th minute of game PSG were starting to control when Monaco right-back Wilfriend Singo found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. A poor touch inside the penalty box, however, led to Singo’s boot inadvertently striking the Italian’s face, causing several cuts and a huge, ugly bruise under his eye. After receiving medical attention, Donnarumma had to leave the field, replaced by Matvey Safonov.
Donnarumma battered and bruised after horror clash in Monaco
The game was halted for several minutes, but fortunately, Donnarumma was able to walk off unaided. The accidental clash sparked an outcry from PSG players, who demanded a second yellow card for Singo. However, the referee deemed the action unintentional and not reckless, as per LFP regulations, and spared Singo from further punishment.
The main punishment for Donnarumma, who was seen celebrating a 4-2 victory with his teammates after the game, is that he’ll be in for a shock whenever he looks in the mirror in the next short while.
Monaco’s social media team uploaded a photo of the Italy stopper and Singo speaking in the dressing room, with the Ivorian presumably apologising profusely for his stray boot.
Donnaruma’s Champions League struggles with PSG
This incident is yet another setback for Donnarumma, who has struggled to establish himself at PSG. The former AC Milan goalkeeper has faced significant criticism for his inconsistent performances in the Champions League, including shaky showings against Arsenal and in a last-minute defeat to Atlético Madrid, where he could have done more to prevent Ángel Correa’s winning goal.
His errors in those top-tier European games led Luis Enrique, who has always had reservations about Donnarumma’s footwork, to bench him in favor of Safonov for the defeat to Bayern Munich at the end of November. The Russian, signed for €20 million for Krasnodar, also struggled, mishandling a corner that resulted in Bayern’s Kim Min-jae scoring the game’s only goal.
Despite all that, Donnarumma has regained Luis Enrique’s trust. The Spanish coach still considers the Italian international his number one, believing that leaving him on the bench from time to time will keep him on his toes and heighten competition for the goalkeeper spot. But the injury sustained in Monaco could sideline him for several weeks, likely ruling him out of Sunday’s crucial French Cup match against Lens.
The coming year will be pivotal for Donnarumma’s future at PSG. The club’s Champions League survival is at stake, with crunch games against Manchester City and Stuttgart determining their fate. The Parisians will hope Donnarumma is fully fit and back on top form. For now, PSG have paused contract renewal talks, and a transfer next year is not off the table if he fails to secure his place in Paris.
A challenging year ends with a horrific injury that could have been much worse had Singo’s boot struck his eye directly.
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