Joël Bats, former Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper (1985-1992), praised 26-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma’s exceptional performance in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Arsenal (0-1) in Le Parisien.
Bats “He has a presence in the air”.
“He had a fantastic game. He made three decisive saves, which aren’t easy to do on the ground with fast-moving balls. He has a presence in the air. He was incredible. He’s taking an important step forward in his mind.
I judge goalkeepers over several seasons, on titles. You have to be consistent over time. He’s on his way to becoming the best keeper in the world.
That means repeating performances like that. If he were ever guilty of a comeback, we’d call everything into question, because that’s a goalkeeper’s thankless job. You have to keep at it.“
Joël Bats has an undeniable legitimacy to judge Donnarumma, thanks to his experience as a former international goalkeeper, having played for PSG and the French national team, as well as being a top-level goalkeeping coach.
Bats’ commentary also highlights the extreme pressure on goalkeepers: a single mistake can jeopardize months of performances, as the position is so exposed to criticism and the lack of patience of observers and fans.
This constant pressure demands extraordinary mental strength and the ability to bounce back immediately after a mistake, as the slightest hesitation or lapse is often amplified and rarely forgiven. In this context, consistency and resilience become essential qualities for lasting at the highest level.
