Paris Saint-Germain lost 2-0 to Arsenal on Tuesday night at Emirates Stadium. The Parisian team struggled after conceding two goals in the first half, and Gianluigi Donnarumma was criticized for his mistakes.
Donnarumma made two costly errors that led to Arsenal’s goals. The first came when he came off his line to claim a cross that didn’t appear particularly dangerous. Unfortunately, his decision backfired, allowing Kai Havertz to head the ball into the net.
The second goal saw Donnarumma miss a free-kick from Bukayo Saka. While it can be argued that Arsenal created enough traffic in front of him to obstruct his view, the 25-year-old still attempted to swat the ball away but completely missed, letting it slip into the net.
Jérôme Rothen noted that he’s tired of Donnarumma’s mistakes in the Champions League and questioned why the Italian standout is considered the best goalkeeper in the world.
“Looking back at the first crucial match against Arsenal, you know it’s going to be tough going up against such a strong team,” Rothen said (h/t Sport.fr). “And right from the first play, when PSG is being too passive, a mistake happens… That mistake is a big deal because, in that stadium, when you’re behind against a team like this, it really puts a lot of pressure on the young players.
“This squad is inexperienced, and they need solid reference points. Usually, the goalkeeper should be one of those points. But unfortunately, he’s the one who ends up causing problems. On the free kick, he closes his eyes and puts his hands in front of him. Some might say the ball came at him quickly, but he still has to make saves.
“Apparently, he’s considered the best goalkeeper in the world on his line. So what does he do here? He puts everyone under pressure, which leads to a lot of criticism for PSG, and sadly, it’s a key player who’s at the center of this. I want him to reflect on his performance, just like the coaching staff should. I feel like Luis Enrique is protecting Donnarumma a bit too much.”
