I don’t like to lose, not even a practice match in training- Up close with Gianluigi Donnarumma

The second-youngest goalkeeper ever to debut in Serie A is all prepared to take on cross-city rivals in the first Milan derby of the season.

Still just 20 years of age, Gianluigi Donnarumma turned a lot of heads when he made his debut for A.C. Milan in 2015 and at 16 years and 242 days, he became the second-youngest goalkeeper to ever debut in Serie A.

It did not take him to establish himself with the first team following that and earned the reputation of being one of the most promising goalkeepers in the world. He also became the youngest goalkeeper to appear for Italy when he made his debut with the national side at 17 years and 189 days of age.

It has been a steady rise for Gianluigi since he first appeared in a pre-season friendly against Real Madrid. Speaking about his growth, Donnarumma acknowledged that his young age allows him to take risks that established goalkeepers may not and he is full of confidence.

“When you’re young, you have less responsibilities and you can take a bit more risks and as you grow in experience, you know what to do better. At the beginning of your career, you can take more risks and I am very pleased with the progress I have made. The defenders and the rest of the team have been of great help,” he said.

It was Sinisa Mihajlovic who called up Donnarumma to the first team in 2015 and then gave him the big game opportunities at 16. In July of 2019, Mihajlovic was diagnosed with an acute form of leukaemia and Gianluigi took the opportunity to wish his former mentor strength. “Coach Sinisa was very important for me. I wish him all the best, really. He’s a fighter and I know he’ll win this battle.”

Donnarumma’s first experience of the derby arrived in 2016 and he could not have asked for a better game to begin with. AC Milan defeated their cross-town rivals Inter 3-0. “We were all extremely motivated in that derby and after the final whistle, I put my shirt over my head and actually shed a tear. I was so excited, it was my first derby and we won 3-0, it was an emotional moment.”

Speaking about the most recent derby, which Inter Milan won in a thrilling 3-2 contest in March, he said, “It still hurts. We have to learn from that game because that was the turning point of our season, our self-esteem went down and we started dropping points. So, we all have to keep that performance in mind and see what happens next. We must give our all, and hopefully, we’ll take home a good result.”

Former Croatian footballer Zvonimir Boban who has also served as the Deputy Secretary-General of FIFA is now holding the post of Chief Football Officer at AC Milan. He has called Gianluigi a leader on the pitch and responding to his comment, Donnarumma revealed that he loves giving it his all.

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“I want to thank him for his words. I always try to give my all and urge my teammates to do the same in training and in the game. Following the action from behind, helps me better in understanding certain situations and I try to help my team. I don’t like to lose, not even a practice match in training, I shout and incite my teammates to give their all in training and this reflects on matchday.”

“The derby is a one-of-a-kind game, very important for us and the fans too. They are very important for us and we need their support because we are working hard and although we struggled in the first game, that is normal, having a new coach and I am sure that at some point we will play quality football. The fans just need to believe in us and support us. I’m sure the fans will support us all the way in the derby,” said Donnarumma.