Who is the boss? In full controversy around the treatment reserved by PSG in Gianluigi Donnarumma, pushed towards the exit after the transfer of Lucas Chevalier in the capital, Luis Enrique had no other choice than to set foot in the press conference on Tuesday evening, on the eve of the Supercoupe against Tottenham, in Udine, Italy. Faced with an audience of journalists who had only the name of the Italian goalkeeper in mind – and for good reason, he had just published a message on Instagram to confirm that a person and a person was only at the origin of this hasty departure – the Spanish coach assumed to be the sole manager of this funny situation.
“These are always difficult to make decisions, I know,” he started by saying. I can only talk about Gigio Donnarumma. He is one of the best players at his post, without a doubt. And it is even better like no one. But we were looking for a different guardian profile. I repeat, but it’s always difficult to decide these kinds of situations. […] This decision is the club’s decision that supports me. And from there you had to find the best decision for all parties. »A courageous position, like the character, who builds his image as an all-powerful decision maker a little more on PSG on sporting issues.
A sporting choice, nothing more
It is not a surprise, Luis Enrique, who had not chosen Donnarumma by joining PSG in the summer of 2023, was never a fan of the profile of the former Milanese goalkeeper, especially because of a really guaranteed game. It is therefore natural that after months of contact with Lucas Chevalier, the number 2 of the French team spent the course and chose to join the European champions and to separate from “Gigio”. Even if this was one of the craftsmen of the formidable European course of PSG last season, Luis Enrique made his choice.
According to him, in the idea that he has the Parisian sports project for the coming years, it had to go through this painful stage, and too bad if Donnarumma was a centerpiece and a respected element of the Parisian wardrobe. As we say the players on the sidelines of the Super Cup, like Nuno Mendes, it is the choice of the coach and the players are asked to respect it. “This is the choice of the coach, we do our job and train. We do everything to be in the list. The coach chooses the players who are ready for the match, “said the Portuguese at a press conference.
Marquinhos plays his role as captain
More dissertation on the question, Marquinhos also spoke to calm the game around this affair and, in good captain, to greet the work accomplished by the Italian while recalling that this was only the harsh reality of high -level football, where feelings pass after sporting considerations.
“It’s always difficult. For twelve or thirteen years that I have been here, I saw the same thing happening for other players. They did not win before being in a situation like that, but they were executive players and important players, who were forced to the end of the transfer window to have to choose another club and to have to leave. Our life is like that, football is like that. We as a player, everything we can do and give or say, is to give the maximum until the last minute while we are here, “he said.
“Me too one day I will leave, I hope it will be in the best possible conditions. But the players, they pass, the club remains, the supporters too. The story will remain engraved, assured Marquinhos. Both for Gigio and for other players, they engraved the history of the club. He wrote the story, we thank him from the bottom of my heart. We do not yet know if he will stay or leave. If it remains, we will welcome it with open arms. What he did last season is incredible and it is also thanks to him that we arrived in the final. If we win this title it is also thanks to him. If he has to leave, we will also thank him from the bottom of my heart. He is a very good friend, a good person and a real important leader in the locker room. »»
Business is business, Gigio agree with City
Having failed to agree with Donnarumma about a possible extension of contract, PSG fears that he will reduce him the same blow he had done to his AC Milan training club, namely to get out of his contract, free, to touch a good bonus at the signature and leave nothing in the club’s funds. Consequently, while taking advantage of a market opportunity with a knight ready to spend a course in his career, Paris Saint-Germain has chosen not to be dictated by his choices.
And if Enzo Raiola, the Italian agent, judged that PSG had shown a “huge lack of respect” towards his client, he also confirmed that his player did not intend to extend his contract anyway beyond 2026. There is therefore nothing scandalous in the decision of PSG, it is the law of the environment and Donnarumma knows the rules perfectly.
This one has not taken long to move on since The team announces us this Wednesday that he has already agreed with the Manchester City of Pep Guardiola. Yes, you heard, the man who made the goalkeeper post an eleventh field player and who swears by an impeccable game. Definitely, the football tracks are very impenetrable.