Enzo Raiola, agent of Gianluigi Donnarumma, spoke to L’Equipe in an interview published this Saturday. In addition to the future of the 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, he spoke of the criticism he has received. In general, but also recently with the late goal conceded in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 8 between PSG and Liverpool.
Donnarumma “it was already an achievement to see him touch the ball.”
“Did he understand the criticism after the first leg (0-1) ?
No, he didn’t. He spoke to several coaches, goalkeeping specialists, and they all told him that it was already an achievement to see him touch the ball with that shot. Gianluigi always tries to do better, he knows when he’s making mistakes, I think he understands that better than anyone, but not here.
What about the criticism since the start of the season ?
The same thing. There have been a lot of attacks, a lot of criticism, even in his own country. I’ve said it before, but Italy doesn’t realize that Gianluigi is a national heritage, one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“Nobody talks about his real game: being a goalkeeper.
Still, we get the impression that he’s improved in certain aspects of his game: in the air and on foot in particular…
I’m not a specialist in the position, but I see everyone talking about his footwork. It’s true that these days, goalkeepers are asked to be strong with their feet. But nobody talks about his real game: being a goalkeeper and therefore stopping goals.
It’s true that some goalkeepers are stronger with their feet, but when it comes to explosiveness, presence in the air and on the line – everything a keeper should normally do – he excels. You can’t ask a man of 1.96m, with big feet like that, to be as technical as Messi. It’s just not possible.”
Of course, the player’s agent is very defensive in the face of criticism and goes along with Donnarumma. However, his arguments are well worth listening to. Soccer is often misjudged, with the result taking precedence over everything else, and opinions based on nothing more than the beginnings of an analysis without any depth. This can be even worse for the goalkeeper, a position in a class of its own and ultimately little “known”.
While many pointed to Donnarumma’s “soft hand” on the goal conceded against Liverpool, few were able to say that it was already very strong that the keeper could reach the ball with any hope of preventing a highly probable goal (we did). Unfortunately, as with players and teams, there’s often a feeling that goalkeepers are robots who have to get everything right. And mistakes are greatly exaggerated.
Donnarumma was a bad goalkeeper for 6 days, then the hero of the comeback. This will be less emphasized than the “misses”, that’s the media game. As for his footwork, which was relatively poor for a while and is now more than adequate. This will not be emphasized, and we’ll stick to the idea of an unreliable keeper in the game.
A point which, in any case, should not completely overshadow the keeper’s ability to prevent a goal. This is an essential aspect for goalkeepers, and one in which Donnarumma excels. That leaves aerial exits, where he seems to be making progress.
