Paris Saint-Germain plays very big. This Wednesday evening, the champions of France face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in the round of 16 second leg of the UEFA Champions League (kick-off at 9 p.m.). Beaten 1-0 in the first leg at home, Christophe Galtier’s players will have no choice but to win in Bavaria. To achieve this, Paris will rely on Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. The two stars will be expected. Even more after Neymar’s package, out until the end of the season. But KM7 and the Pulga will not be the only ones to be the center of attention.
Indeed, the entire Paris squad will have to put out a great match, starting with Gianluigi Donnarumma. Arrived in the summer of 2021 in the French capital, the Italian porter had to deal with competition from Keylor Navas under the orders of Mauricio Pochettino. With Galtier, the former AC Milan goalkeeper has been installed as number 1. And since this winter of 2023, he has been rid of Navas. The Costa Rican-born player was loaned out to Nottingham Forest during the winter transfer market. A thorn in the side less for “Gigio” who no longer has any excuse to evolve at his best level.
“Gigio” did not convince everyone in Paris
The problem is that the 24-year-old footballer alternates between good and bad. Capable of the best, especially against OM during the last Classic, as well as the worst, especially during his last outing in Nantes where he made two mistakes, he showed a certain irregularity. Which is not necessarily very reassuring before facing the Bavarian ogre. Moreover, within the French club, the case of the native of Castellammare di Stabia still raises questions at the present time. This is what announces The team this Wednesday morning.
Indeed, behind the scenes, PSG doubts the goalkeeper of the Italian selection. He still does not manage to fully convince the Ile-de-France team, which had freed him and hoped to finally solve his recurring problem with the goalkeepers. But the sports daily adds that very quickly after his arrival, Christophe Galtier had identified several “deficiencies” in his player. It is at the center of certain discussions in Paris, where it is therefore not unanimous more than a year after its signature. Tonight in Munich, PSG hope to see the best version of Donnarumma. A year ago in Madrid, he had sunk. Ile-de-France residents hope that history will not repeat itself.
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