Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma finds himself further from coach Luis Enrique’s list of preferred choices. This was notably illustrated on Tuesday evening when he was not selected for the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.

Unexpected benching for a high-stakes match

For the second consecutive match, following the weekend’s game against Toulouse, the Italian goalkeeper was benched in favor of Russian keeper Matvey Safonov. This marks a significant demotion for Donnarumma, reminiscent of his first season in Paris when he competed with Costa Rican Keylor Navas for the starting position.

A harsh message for Donnarumma?

“It’s a punishment,” commented former PSG player David Ginola on Canal+ ahead of the match. “If I were Donnarumma, expecting to play against Bayern with Manuel Neuer as the opposing goalkeeper, and saw Safonov starting instead, I’d feel like it’s a slap in the face. It’s a real blow.” The decision by Luis Enrique to prefer the Russian goalkeeper led to speculation. “Just to make headlines,” suggested commentator Bertrand Latour, also on the broadcast.

luis enrique contemplates changes as donnarumma frustrates at psg.jpg

Second thoughts on Enrique’s choice

Enrique’s controversial decision came under scrutiny after the game. Safonov’s error led to a costly defeat for the French champions. The question lingers: would the outcome have been different with Donnarumma guarding the net?