Italy’s goalkeeper and captain, Gianluigi Donnarumma, addressed the media ahead of their final Nations League group stage match against France. The Azzurri need only to avoid a loss by more than two goals to secure the top spot in their group.
Speaking about the return to San Siro, Donnarumma said, “Tomorrow will be a special match with great support, and it will be emotional in front of so many of our fans. We couldn’t wait to return to Italy and to San Siro. Our goal is to play beautiful football, to suffer when we need to, but always with love for this jersey.”
Reflecting on the team’s progress since the European Championship, Donnarumma emphasized the importance of the group’s unity and the work of the coach and staff. “The coach has found the right medicine to ensure that Italy returned to being Italy,” he stated. “After a disappointment like the Euros, we needed a change of direction. What I always tell the guys is that the difficult part is maintaining performances. We must continue to work, to enjoy ourselves, and to entertain the people.”
Donnarumma praised the current team spirit, saying, “The group is healthy and enjoying themselves. I’m seeing the spirit of the Euros we won again. They’re all young players who want to prove themselves and wear this shirt, which makes you give 300%.”
Regarding the upcoming match against France, he acknowledged the challenge ahead: “I expect an opponent with some absences, but with important quality even in the substitutes. We’ll face a France that didn’t get a result in their last match and is angry about the result we achieved there. There hasn’t been much time to prepare, but we’ll manage to do it in these days. We’ll have to suffer; they’re a technical team with great pace and depth, and we’ll need to be super attentive.”
Donnarumma also touched on the team’s defensive improvements: “We were a team that struggled to keep possession, and I saw that opponents could always hurt us. Already from the match in France, we’ve seen the compactness, the right determination, the difficulty in scoring against us, which is in our DNA.”
On returning to San Siro, Donnarumma expressed mixed emotions: “Returning to San Siro is always special. It was my home for many years. You feel a different atmosphere from other situations. It gives you a completely different energy. If there’s this atmosphere, though, it’s also because of us, who have managed to give emotions and draw out emotions from all Italians. We must be proud, go there and make them emotional. At the end of the match, we’ll all embrace in a big hug.”
When asked about the team’s newfound enjoyment, Donnarumma reflected, “Why weren’t we enjoying ourselves before? Let’s say that now very young players have arrived who want to work and be together, enjoying themselves. I don’t know why, but before we were a bit divided. It’s our fault too, and results don’t help you. The step we need to take is that when results don’t come, we must be compact. I see something special.”
Concluding his remarks, Donnarumma addressed expectations for the San Siro crowd: “I expect a good reaction, and certainly when we wear the national team jersey, we are all united and all Italian. I expect a great atmosphere for everyone.”
