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ITALIAN star Gianluigi Donnarumma is seen as one of the best keepers in the world — but Arsenal will target him.
The Paris Saint-Germain No 1, 26, broke England’s hearts at Euro 2020.
GettyHe helped dump Liverpool out of the last 16 of this year’s Champions League and then frustrated Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.
Donnarumma has now played over 400 senior games but there is concern over his inability to deal with corners and crosses.
He can also be suspect with the ball at his feet.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is certain to tell his players to fire crosses into the box and they will look to make the most of their set-pieces.
Donnarumma’s shortcomings were exposed in the 2-0 loss at Arsenal in the group stages in October.
The Gunners’ first goal saw a hesitant Donnarumma beaten as Kai Havertz anticipated a cross from Leandro Trossard and nodded in.
Donnarumma was beaten again when Bukayo Saka’s low free-kick from the right went straight under him.
The Italian’s view of the ball may have been obscured, but there seemed to be no talking between Donnarumma and his defenders.
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Last season in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona, Donnarumma failed to come for a corner and Andreas Christensen headed a winner.
Despite his imposing stature — he is 6ft 5in — he stood rooted to his line and seemed unsure how to judge the ball’s flight.
Earlier in that match, Donnarumma struggled with Lamine Yamal’s cross and Raphinha put Barca ahead.
Donnarumma’s hesitancy repeated itself in the semi-final return leg against Dortmund when Mats Hummels rose unchallenged to head in Julian Brandt’s corner from the left.
The ex-Milan hero also made blunders trying to pass the ball out from defence in some Ligue 1 games in the last two terms.
In the Nations League in March he was too busy arguing with his Italy team-mates to notice that Germany’s Joshua Kimmich had taken a corner and Jamal Musiala was ready to tap into an empty net.
By the time Donnarumma had realised what was happening, Germany had scored.
He was also blamed for PSG’s defeat by Liverpool in the first leg of the last-16 tie, allowing Harvey Elliott’s 87th-minute effort to slip in.
Equally, the keeper made amends by saving from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones in the shootout at Anfield.
Yet Donnarumma’s greatest moment came at Wembley four years ago when he saved penalties from England’s Jadon Sancho and Saka in the shootout for Italy to be crowned kings of Europe.
Earlier this month, a L’Equipe headline read: ‘God save Donnarumma’ in reference to him stopping Aston Villa reaching the Champions League semi-finals.
After Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Nice saw PSG lose their unbeaten league record, the same newspaper gave him a mark of 3/10.
Donnarumma did not come for high balls on two of the goals and Arsenal will hope for more of the same on Tuesday night.
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Rex
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