PSG’s Vitinha congratulates PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after a difficult save during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Arsenal Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma celebrates with teammate Marquinhos after a save during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Arsenal Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
PSG’s Willian Pacho, left, and PSG’s Marquinhos check on their teammate goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard attempts a shot at goal and saved by PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi have a drink during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Arsenal Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, second right, attempts a shot at goal in front of PSG’s Nuno Mendes, right, and PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saves a shot from Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, foreground right, during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Arsenal Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
‘Titan’ Donnarumma saves the day for PSG again in the Champions League
LONDON (AP) 鈥 Gianluigi Donnarumma was hailed as a 鈥渢itan鈥 by Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique after producing some brilliant saves against Arsenal to ensure his team took a lead into the second leg of their Champions League semifinal next week.
PSG’s Vitinha congratulates PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after a difficult save during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Arsenal Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
LONDON (AP) 鈥 Gianluigi Donnarumma was hailed as a 鈥渢itan鈥 by Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique after producing some brilliant saves against Arsenal to ensure his team took a lead into the second leg of their Champions League semifinal next week.
The Italy goalkeeper continued his impressive form in the knockout stage by pulling off two one-handed stops low down to his left, first to deny Gabriel Martinelli and then Leandro Trossard, and preserve Tuesday.
Previously this campaign, Donnarumma was PSG鈥檚 star in a last-16 win over Liverpool with at Anfield, while a series of great saves in the second half of the allowed the French champion to squeeze through the quarterfinals.
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Luis Enrique rarely veers away from his praise for the collective but the Spanish coach let that mantra slip a touch after the Arsenal game.
鈥淚 really want to underline the work of 14 or 15 players,鈥 he said. 鈥溾bviously there were some players that shone a bit more than others and when you鈥檙e playing away against a team that鈥檚 so good at set pieces, you need a titan in goal.鈥
Actually, it was at a set piece that Donnarumma 鈥 鈥 made his one error of the night against Arsenal. He chose to come off his line in an attempt to get to the ball as Declan Rice swung in a free kick early in the second half, but then changed his mind and found himself stranded as Mikel Merino headed into an empty net.
Donnarumma was, however, bailed out by a video review that spotted Merino was offside.
Otherwise, the 26-year-old Italian 鈥 still bearing the scar on his right cheek from a in the French league in December 鈥 was a reassuring presence, with his agility to tip aside Trossard鈥檚 left-footed shot particularly outstanding.
鈥淗e made the saves like he did against Liverpool and Villa,鈥 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, 鈥渁nd that鈥檚 the difference in the Champions League.鈥
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Indeed, there鈥檚 something about playing in England that seems to inspire Donnarumma.
The 1.96-meters goalkeeper might never top those penalty-shootout saves against England in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium that for the first time four years ago.
At club level, however, he is proving a key reason why PSG might be ready to win the Champions League for the first time.
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