Donnarumma Discloses Secret Behind His Penalty Saving Masterclass vs Liverpool

• The Italian goalkeeper was voted Man of the Match after helping PSG into the last eight of the UEFA Champions League
• Gianluigi Donnarumma saved two penalties as PSG reigned supreme in an epic UEFA CL encounter at Anfield
• Liverpool's dream of a treble has ended, with Arne Slot and his charges now directing focus to the Premier League

Paris Saint-Germain's goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, played a pivotal role in the club's dramatic victory over Liverpool at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League last night.

After a tense 120 minutes of regulation and extra time that saw the match end 1-0 in PSG's favor, Donnarumma's composure and sharp reflexes during the penalty shootout secured a 4-1 triumph for the Parisians, sending them through to the Champions League quarterfinals.

The match, a thrilling contest between two European heavyweights, will be remembered not only for the drama but also for the memorable moments provided by Italian keeper Donnarumma who literally, single-handedly propelled the French side into the UCL last eight.

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A tense Liverpool vs PSG clash at Anfield

The encounter at Anfield had all the makings of a classic European night. Liverpool, having won the first leg 1-0 in Paris, were confident of advancing on their home turf.

However, PSG came into the match with a game plan to make life difficult for Arne Slot's side.

They fought tirelessly throughout the match, creating several chances, and managed to pull off a 1-0 victory to level the aggregate score at 1-1 thanks to Ousmane Dembele's 12th-minute strike.

Despite the equalizer, the Ligue 1 giants failed to burry several excellent chances, and their fate would be decided in a penalty shootout, a situation that was bound to test both teams' nerves.

For PSG, their goalkeeper, Donnarumma, would become the star of the show after producing a plethora of fantastic saves in 120 minutes.

Donnarumma’s secret before the shootout

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When the game ended after extra time, Donnarumma made an unusual yet telling decision. Just before the penalty shootout began, the giant goalkeeper entered the dressing room.

The timing was intriguing, sparking widespread curiosity. When asked about his actions by Sky Sports Italia, the former AC Milan custodian humorously revealed that he had to "pee," before quickly clarifying what he went to do in the dressing room exactly.

"I had prepared something with my coach. I had to pee. Just kidding, I had prepared something with my coach. It was good to take something to try and save some penalties," Donnarumma said.

It turns out that Donnarumma had taken a moment to refocus and prepare with the help of PSG's goalkeeping coaches.

This brief moment of preparation proved to be crucial, as Donnarumma’s performance in the ensuing penalty shootout was nothing short of remarkable.

"I see a lot of criticism from journalists, if you can call them that, who ignore the role of the goalkeeper. In the first leg, we conceded a shot and a goal. It seemed like it was my fault, but I always remember to smile, give my best, and work for the team." the PSG hero added.

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Donnarumma’s penalty moment of glory

As the shootout unfolded, it was clear that the pressure was immense. Vitinha scored firs for Luis Enrique's PSG before Mohamed Salah converted for Liverpool to make it 1-1.

Substitute Goncalo Ramos succeeded with PSG's second, and Darwin Nunez was expected to level things for the home side, but Donnarumma stretched to his left to deny the Uruguayan in a stunning fashion.

Ex-Barcelona and Dortmund winger, Dembele, the scorer of the only goal of the encounter, then stepped forward to convert his team's third, leaving Alisson Becker with no chance at all to make it 3-1 for the Parisians.

Liverpool's hope resided in Curtis Jones next, but the English midfielder failed to score against the impressive Donnarumma, who dived to his right to deny Jones before Desire Doue converted the winning kick to knockout Liverpool out of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, with Asamoah Gyan part of the most talented Ghanaian players who should have won the prestigious competition.

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Mohamed Salah's Ramadan 2025

YEN.com.gh earlier reported Liverpool's winger Mohamed Salah as one of the Muslim Premier League players expected to mark the holy month of Ramadan this year.

Source: YEN.com.gh