Manchester City goalkeeper will be in goal as Italy face Bosnia for their first World Cup spot since 2014
Gianluigi Donnarumma says Italy are fully focused on securing qualification for the World Cup ahead of their decisive clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Manchester City goalkeeper said his teammates must find and maintain their composure in a game that will determine whether the country qualifies for the World Cup for the first time since 2014.
“We have every right to give it our all – tomorrow will be a tough match, and we need to approach it with the right composure,” said Donnarumma. “We’ll have to be tough. They’ll be going at full throttle and we mustn’t be outdone; they have great champions and outstanding individual players. We’ve got the right level of intensity; our fans here – and those at home – will be with us, cheering us on.”
Donnarumma, who was in goal as Paris Saint-Germain won the first Champions League in their history, described the game against Bosnia as one of the most significant matches of his career.
“It’s one of the most important matches, one of the most emotional,” said Donnarumma. “We’re human beings; we feel the matches too. We need to know how to manage it, saving our energy solely for tomorrow.
“It’s normal to be thinking about it. Tomorrow will be important, extremely important, one of the most important matches I’ll ever play. The thought is there; we need to give 100% because then, when you’re at your best, your conscience is clear.
“We’ll be ready; we’ve worked well, and we’ve got the right mindset to face a challenge like tomorrow’s. We must focus solely on ourselves. You think only about what you have to do and don’t waste energy on other situations.”
Donnarumma also said the Italy team were desperate to avoid another setback and to return Italy to the global stage.
“I’ve missed out on two World Cups, but now there’s a desire to take Italy back to where it belongs,” said Donnarumma. “Only we know what we went through when we failed to qualify; we have to start from there to take Italy back to where it deserves to be, to bring great joy to the Italian people but also to all of us.”
