Gianluigi Donnarumma concedes he could’ve done better on the David Alaba free kick in Italy’s 2-0 friendly defeat to Austria. ‘I will analyse the footage and work on it.’
The Azzurri’s whole attitude and mentality seemed off from the start in Vienna, no doubt influenced by the bitterness of watching the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar just hours before this futile friendly.
“It’s not an alibi, but watching the others at the World Cup is very tough and we are still bitter about it. There’s no point crying over ourselves now, we need to roll our sleeves up and be ready to get back on track in March,” Donnarumma told RAI Sport.
“We must transform that negativity into positivity going forward. I am sure we will do that, as we are a great squad with strong young players coming through, an excellent staff and coach who know how to emerge stronger from this situation.”
There wasn’t a great deal the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper could’ve done on the Xaver Schlager opener after Marco Verratti was robbed in midfield, but he seemed surprised by the rocket of an Alaba free kick that went in off the underside of the crossbar.
It was certainly powerful, but also perhaps central enough that he could’ve got to it.
“I expected him to hit it with that power from distance, he gets a serious dip on it too. Watching it back, it was an incredible goal and a strange shot, I will analyse where I could’ve done better. I cannot concede from that distance, but I will work on it and analyse the footage.”
Donnarumma did keep the scoreline down both in the first half and at the dawn of the second with some tough saves, particularly the reaction stop on Bologna defender Stefan Posch from point-blank range.
no sh!t
Give Vicario a chance. Friulani players are always better.