By Martin Graham
Gianluigi Donnarumma has spoken out following the collision that led to Jamal Musiala’s significant injury during Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. The 26-year-old Italian goalkeeper came under scrutiny after a challenge on Musiala left the Bayern midfielder with a fractured fibula, sidelining him for a minimum of four months.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Donnarumma stated, “I am very shocked by what happened,” and emphasized that injuring Musiala had never been his aim. His representative, Vincenzo Raiola, noted that the goalkeeper “didn’t want to act as if nothing had happened” and chose to keep a distance to allow medical professionals to focus entirely on Musiala’s treatment.
Neuer and courtois react
Bayern captain Manuel Neuer didn’t hold back his disapproval, suggesting that Donnarumma’s decision-making in the incident was avoidable. “It was a situation where it wasn’t necessary to intervene like that,” Neuer commented, accusing his counterpart of being “ready to accept the risk of injuring his opponent.” He also said he confronted Donnarumma, urging him to check on Musiala, which the Italian later did.
In contrast, Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois stood by Donnarumma. Following the match, Courtois, who will face PSG in the semi-finals, was among those defending the Paris goalkeeper amid the fallout from the controversial moment.
Club World Cup continues amid fallout
Despite the ongoing discussion surrounding the incident, PSG now turn their attention to the next round. They are set to face Real Madrid in the semi-final on Wednesday, in a match that also sees a reunion with former forward Kylian Mbappé.
