In the second part of his interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, Gigio Donnarumma reveals how it feels like to train with Leo Messi and Neymar and explains why Italy will qualify for the World Cup.
Donnarumma was named Player of the Tournament at UEFA Euro 2020 in the summer and made his Champions League debut a few months later with PSG.
He had never played in Europe’s elite competition with Milan although he played a key role in the Rossoneri’s 2020-21 campaign when Stefano Pioli’s side snatched a top-four finish for the first time in eight years.
Donnarumma admits he often talks to Pioli, reveals Milan’s farewell call
Donnarumma played his first Champions League match against Manchester City in September and PSG have another big clash next week when they’ll host Real Madrid in Paris.
“It was unique to play my first Champions League game with this team,” said Donnarumma.
“Of course, there are many expectations on us, but every game must be faced in the best way. The match against Real Madrid will be very difficult, but we can fight to win and go all the way through. The Champions League is one of our targets.”
Donnarumma was his first international trophy with Italy over the summer, but the Azzurri must go through the World Cup play-offs to qualify for Qatar 2022.
“It’s special to win with the Italy shirt,” Donnarumma said. “The victory at the Euros was a masterpiece, something extraordinary that we achieved thanks to the work of Mancini and his staff.
“We lacked goals during the World Cup qualification, but I am convinced that we will go to the World Cup because we know how to react in difficult moments. We lacked something after the Euros, but we’ll make up for it.”
The former Milan goalkeeper trains every day with some of the best players in the world, such as Leo Messi and Neymar, how does it feel to share the dressing room with so many big players?
“They are all phenomenons,” the goalkeeper admitted.
“I can see it every day in training. Once I ended up in the middle of a keep-away drill that gave me headache. It’s special to be here because you improve every day by training with champions of this calibre.”
How about Mbappé? Does he expect to play with him next season? The contract of the France international expires in the summer and he’s been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
“I have a great rapport with Kylian, we often joke, but we don’t talk about these things. It’s his decision and I am not the one who has to tell him what to do. I only know that we are happy together at PSG. He is a good guy and he is the only one who knows what’s the best choice.”
"La telefonata con cui il Milan mi ha detto addio. Ma resto rossonero". La nostra intervista esclusiva a Gigio Donnarumma #Milan #Psg https://t.co/bE8da8dmIl
— GazzaMondo (@ETGazzetta) February 9, 2022
Yet another rage-click article about Donnarumma and ACM.
And yet another useless and pointless article about FRENCH football on a website about Italian football.
Yet I am doing my bit by commentating, it is a dilemma.