Xavi’s side visited the Parc des Princes for the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final of mammoth proportions on Wednesday. However, the hosts found themselves behind at the interval thanks to Raphinha’s first-half opener. It wasn’t an opener that came purely thanks to the Blaugrana’s graft, however, given Donnarumma’s role in it all.
The Italy No. 1 came out to claim Lamine Yamal’s outside-the-foot probe into PSG’s box but fell agonizingly short as he spilled the ball in a clutch moment. And Donnarumma, 26, could only hold his hands up given it was his to take just seconds prior.
Meanwhile, a third scrutinizing spectator joked: “Did Donnarumma win a competition to play in goal for PSG?” The goal wasn’t the only example of Donnarumma fluffing his lines in an eventful first half. The Azzurri keeper also came up short attempting to claim one cross from a corner, and PSG had to clear the ball off the line as he failed to get a touch at all.
Donnarumma stood and watched while a Barcelona corner came into his area, and some suggested he could have done more to keep out the Dane’s close-range finish. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Donnarumma would have been one of the world’s best GKs in the early 2010s, today he is sadly a liability,” raged one viewer. However, the Champions League may elude Donnarumma for at least one more season while he’s committing errors like these.
