Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was substituted off in the 22nd minute of PSG’s midweek Ligue 1 match against Monaco after suffering a truly horrific facial injury.
Somehow, it didn’t even draw a yellow card for the opponent.
Charging in from the right flank on the ball with only the goalkeeper to beat, Monaco full-back Wilfried Singo attempted to poke the ball past Donnarumma. As the PSG goalkeeper closed the gap, Singo ran out of room, and the follow-through from his effort saw him land his boot directly onto the face of Donnarumma.
Monaco’s Wilfried Singo was only shown a yellow card after kicking PSG GK Gianluigi Donnarumma in the face đł
Donnarumma exited the match with a facial laceration đ¤ pic.twitter.com/IYbFfgGHHr
â CBS Sports Golazo â˝ď¸ (@CBSSportsGolazo) December 18, 2024
Donnarumma received lengthy treatment on the pitch before being forced to exit the match, replaced by backup Matvey Safonov. On-field images appeared to show that Donnarumma’s on-pitch treatment included the Italian receiving staples to close the wound temporarily before even being brought off.
By halftime, an image had already been shared by RMC Sport reporter Arthur Perrot of Donnarumma’s injury, which showed the damage done from the locker room.
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Somehow, incredibly, Singo did not receive a yellow card for the foul despite the gruesome contact. It would have been a key moment in the game had the referee decided to book the Monaco defender, as he had already picked up a yellow card in the 13th minute of the match, meaning he would have been sent off.
PSG would receive another scare later as Safonov’s arm was stamped on by Lamine Camara, which clearly rips the replacement goalkeeper’s greens sleeve he’s wearing. Just like the earlier incident, Camara was on a yellow card at the time but was not booked a second time.
With Donnarumma out injured and PSG’s opponents still with 11 players on the pitch, Monaco would score twice shortly after halftime to take a 2-1 lead, but PSG managed a late comeback as Goncalo Ramos and Ousmane Dembele combined for three goals to secure a 4-2 win.
The injury could be a major blow to PSG depending on how much time Donnarumma is forced to miss. The Parisian club is in a dire position near the bottom of the Champions League standings, with the Italian one of the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak European campaign. His absence would send their chances of sneaking into a knockout qualifying position plummeting even further.
