Gianluigi Donnarumma had a tough evening on Tuesday. Firstly because Italy, almost with its back against the wall against Ukraine, painfully won in the Euro 2024 qualifiers (2-1). And because its goalkeeper, captain that evening and brought to be a captain of the selection, was attacked throughout the match by the supporters at San Siro, a stadium shared by Inter Milan and AC Milan.
From the first balls touched by Donnarumma, whistles fell from the spans of San Siro. This was to be expected: many fans launched the hashtag “Fischiamo Donnarumma” (Let’s whistle Donnarumma) on social media before the match. But the whole Milan stadium was not against him. A few cheers were heard… and re-motivated those who were whistling, causing a split between supporters over the attitude to adopt towards their own player.
The whistles against Donnarumma were one of the key subjects in Italy, beyond the victory which puts the Nazionale in a favorable position with a view to qualifying for Euro 2024 (7 points tied with Ukraine and the North Macedonia, but a game behind). “I have never seen that,” commented midfielder Davide Frattesi, author of a double, at the Rai microphone after the match. It’s an outrageous thing. I don’t understand why it has to be whistled like this. Fortunately, it doesn’t affect him.”
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In the summer of 2021, Donnarumma, now 24 years old, left AC Milan at the end of his contract for Paris Saint-Germain. He had long entertained the hope of continuing in his training club. Represented by the sulphurous agent Mino Raiola, he was criticized and insulted by Milan supporters after his transfer, although he was crucial in Italy’s coronation at the Euro that summer.
“Donnarumma, you will never be welcome in Milan again. Man of shit”, could we read on a banner in October 2021, before Donnarumma’s first return to San Siro, already with the Italian selection. Former AC Milan coach, Fabio Capello considered him “ungrateful” towards the Rossoneri. Let Donnarumma prepare: he will return to San Siro again on November 7, for the first time in the jersey of a club other than the one he formed, with PSG in the Champions League.