Maresca stands firm on Donnarumma despite latest error
Enzo Maresca has moved to shut down any talk of dropping Gianluigi Donnarumma after the goalkeeper was again at fault for a goal during City's Champions League win over RB Leipzig.
Sports Mole reports that Maresca has doubled down on his backing of the shot-stopper despite the error being described as another "mistake" from Donnarumma this season (Sports Mole). The Mirror confirms the same incident, noting City ran out 3-2 winners over Leipzig in Europe even though Donnarumma was culpable for one of the goals, which led to some supporters and pundits suggesting he should be left out (Mirror).
ESPN frames Maresca's comments slightly differently, quoting the boss as saying Donnarumma's form is "no concern" and that the keeper has his full backing going forward (ESPN). All three outlets agree on the key point: whatever the mistake, Maresca is not wavering in his support for the Italian international between the posts.
For City fans, the reassurance from the manager will matter more than the stats of recent slip-ups, especially with a busy run of fixtures continuing. There's no suggestion from any of the three reports that a change in goalkeeper is being considered, with Maresca instead choosing to publicly shield his number one from criticism rather than add to the pressure.
With City back in Premier League action away at Nottingham Forest this weekend, it remains to be seen whether Donnarumma keeps his place and how he responds under the gaze of a watching fanbase keen to see those recent lapses ironed out.
Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.
