Manchester City fans had been waiting for this moment with curiosity, excitement, and a little bit of fear. After all, it is not every day that the club signs one of the biggest names in world football, a player whose name has been known across Europe since he was just 16 years old. Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian shot-stopper once labelled as the heir to Gianluigi Buffon, finally completed a shock deadline day move to Manchester City from Paris Saint-Germain. It was a transfer that carried both promise and risk, the kind of signing that can either define a season or haunt it. And just days later, the Italian giant was already under fire, receiving damning reviews after a chaotic night for Italy in World Cup qualifying.
Italy faced Israel in what should have been a routine victory, especially after thrashing Estonia 5-0 just days before. Donnarumma, wearing the captain’s armband and making his 76th international appearance, was expected to provide calmness and authority. But instead, the headlines after the game told a different story: Italy may have won 5-4, but their defensive display was described as a “horror show,” and Donnarumma found himself at the heart of the criticism.
For Manchester City supporters, who had been keeping a very close eye on their new goalkeeper ahead of the Manchester derby against United, the sight of their new signing stumbling and looking shaky was not comforting. Pep Guardiola has already been dealing with injuries, tactical questions, and inconsistency this season, and now he must decide whether to throw Donnarumma straight into the fire of an Etihad debut in one of the biggest fixtures of the year.
The drama began just four minutes into the match against Israel. A simple corner came swinging into the box, and instead of catching it or punching it clear, Donnarumma made a mess of it, bizarrely punching the ball backwards into his own net. The referee rescued him, whistling for a foul on the Italian goalkeeper after minimal contact from defender Stav Lemkin, but the incident set the tone. It was the kind of shaky moment that leaves fans gasping in disbelief and opponents encouraged to test him again.
As the game unfolded, it became clear this would not be a clean sheet night. Israel, ranked 75th in the world, refused to back down. They pressed, they attacked, and they found joy against an Italian defense that looked far too open. Donnarumma was left exposed, yes, but he also played his part in the chaos. His failure to come out and claim a crucial free-kick in the dying minutes allowed Dor Peretz to head home Israel’s equalizer to make it 4-4. Italian hearts sank. How could their team, their champions of Europe just four years ago, look so fragile? And how could their captain, their supposed leader, appear so hesitant?
Italy were saved by Sandro Tonali, who struck a fortunate effort from distance in the 91st minute, a shot that curled awkwardly and deceived Israel’s goalkeeper. The ball hit the back of the net, Italy celebrated, and the three points were secured. But nobody was fooled. The performance left more questions than answers, and Donnarumma, despite making some “stunning” saves earlier in the half, was judged harshly. Calciomercato, one of Italy’s major outlets, gave him a 5/10 rating – joint-lowest in the team. Their description was brutal: “a defensive performance straight out of a horror movie.”
For Manchester City fans, reading those words just days before the derby against Manchester United was like ice water being poured down the back. They had only just begun to dream of what Donnarumma could bring: the commanding presence, the big saves in big games, the aura of a world-class goalkeeper. But football has a cruel way of exposing flaws, and his display against Israel was a reminder that even the biggest names are vulnerable.
Yet, to tell the full story, you cannot only focus on the mistakes. Donnarumma also made two crucial saves, stretching to deny Tai Baribo and later reacting brilliantly to stop another effort from Dor Peretz. Those moments showed why City took the gamble on him. At 26 years old, he has already played more than most goalkeepers do in their entire careers. He has stood in finals, lifted trophies, and dealt with pressure since he was a teenager. And still, he remains a figure who splits opinion: some see him as the future of goalkeeping, others as a man prone to lapses that cost games.
Now the spotlight turns to Manchester. Pep Guardiola must decide who to trust in goal for the derby. James Trafford, another summer arrival, has been starting games so far, but his costly mistake in the 2-0 loss to Tottenham has already weakened his claim. Donnarumma was signed not just as another option, but as a statement. Manchester City needed a big goalkeeper, a name that could match their ambition. They wanted a presence, and Donnarumma is exactly that. But debuts are about timing, and Guardiola knows better than anyone how quickly a goalkeeper can be judged in England. If Donnarumma struggles against United, the critics will not wait. They will circle immediately.
For City supporters, the story of Donnarumma feels familiar. They have lived through goalkeeping dramas before. Claudio Bravo, once hailed as the perfect Guardiola keeper, crumbled under the pressure of the Premier League. Joe Hart, a club legend, was pushed out because he did not fit Guardiola’s style. Even Ederson, brilliant for years, has faced questions about form and consistency in recent seasons. Now comes Donnarumma, walking straight into the same storm. Will he rise above it, or will he be swallowed by it?
In Italy, fans are already debating his role as captain. Some argue that his presence still brings confidence, pointing to the saves he makes when all seems lost. Others insist that his lapses are too costly, that he does not command his box the way a true leader should. Against Israel, both sides of the argument were on display. Stunning saves and costly hesitation, world-class reactions and simple errors. He is a goalkeeper of extremes, and that is exactly what City are inheriting.
As the derby looms, the narrative around Donnarumma is no longer just about his transfer. It is about whether he can handle the weight of expectation in Manchester. The Premier League is unforgiving. It tests every weakness, exposes every flaw, and magnifies every mistake. Donnarumma will know this. He will have read the criticism. He will have heard the doubts. But this is the challenge he chose, leaving Paris, where life had grown complicated, and stepping into Guardiola’s demanding world.
What makes this story dramatic is not just the poor rating, but the timing. Donnarumma does not have weeks or months to settle in quietly. He has days. Days before one of the fiercest rivalries in world football, days before he faces Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and the roar of Old Trafford and the Etihad. It is a baptism of fire, the kind of start that can either make or break him in England.
But there is another side to Donnarumma, one that City fans may cling to: he has always been at his best when the pressure is greatest. At Euro 2020, he stood tall in the penalty shootouts, carrying Italy to glory. When the world doubted him, he delivered. Perhaps, just perhaps, the derby will be his moment to silence the critics again. Perhaps the nightmare against Israel will be the fuel he needs to prove himself on the biggest stage.
For now, the headlines remain damning. “Horror show.” “Unreliable.” “Joint-lowest rating.” These are the words attached to Manchester City’s new No.25 before he has even worn the shirt in a competitive game. It is not the welcome City fans hoped for, but football is not about easy welcomes. It is about how you respond when the doubts come.
And for Gianluigi Donnarumma, the chance to respond comes immediately. Against Manchester United. In a derby that could define his City career before it even begins
