MADRID — Gianluigi Donnarumma stated that Manchester City holds an “advantage” due to Real Madrid being without Kylian Mbappé in their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg clash.
Mbappé missed Tuesday’s training session and is expected to be unavailable for the match at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
The French forward is the leading scorer in this year’s Champions League, netting 13 goals and previously scored a hat-trick against City, eliminating them from the tournament last season.
Donnarumma, who played alongside Mbappé at Paris Saint-Germain, indicated that his workload in goal may be lighter without Mbappé on the pitch.
“I’ve had the fortune of playing with Kylian, and he’s among the best players in the world,” Donnarumma remarked at a press conference on Tuesday. “His talent is exceptional, and from a goalkeeper’s perspective, not having to face such players can be an advantage.”
“It means I might have less work, but the substitutes will still be champions. We are up against Real Madrid, a squad full of champions, so we must remain vigilant.”
“Kylian is a close friend of mine, and I hope he recovers quickly and is available for the second leg. He truly deserves it.”
Donnarumma, who is the reigning Champions League champion after winning the title with PSG last season, moved to Manchester City last summer. After six months with the club, he is convinced they are strong contenders for the title.
“There are several teams capable of reaching the final,” he stated. “Many formidable teams are in this competition. Last season, before the round of 16, no one considered PSG as potential winners, but circumstances can shift quickly.”
“It boils down to timing. We are approaching knockout rounds where every detail counts. Each minute detail can determine the outcome.”
“Details are crucial. Many teams are vying for the same goal. We aim to go as far as possible, but there are several strong teams also in contention.”