Why Italians Should Seek Solace in Bayer Leverkusen's Giulio Donati

Rather than cussing a 10-letter word beginning with "v" after a face-shaming UEFA Champions League Matchday for Italian football, a consolation for Italians is compatriot Giulio Donati.

What about Italian Alessio Cerci, who scored in Atletico Madrid's 5-0 win over Malmo?

Donati played against stronger opposition, and who would have expected him to have a career-defining moment at right-back for Bayer Leverkusen?

As Leverkusen central attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu glided into FC Zenit Saint Petersburg's defensive half, Donati burst down the right wing.

Receiving a pass from Calhanoglu, Donati struck the ball past Zenit goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin.

Talk about an unlikely situation: Italy's best player of Champions League Matchday 3 failed to make the grade at Inter Milan, now a UEFA Europa League calibre team, and is making a living playing football in the Bundesliga.

Zenit left-back Domenico Criscito—an Italian—watched on as Donati sprung into an awkward, clumsy and gawky knee-slide celebration.

Fortunately, Donati did not blow out his knee, which would have been a Greek tragedy, like Juventus losing 1-0 to Olympiakos.

At least Juve only let in one goal, unlike Roma conceding seven times against Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile at Anfield, Liverpool's Italian centre-forward Mario Balotelli, who was made a scapegoat for an innocuous shirt swap with Real Madrid centre-back Pepe, should have asked: "Why always me?"

Donati has never had the chance to utter the words: "Why always me?"

Until yesterday, he was football's equivalent to an extra in a movie. He is in the picture, but he is irrelevant.

If you asked casual Italian football fans: "What do you think of Donati?"

Some may respond: "Massimo? Is he still playing?"

Credit: Instagram.com/giuliodonati2.

Nation	Position	Age	Height	Weight
Italy	RB	24	5'11"	181 lbs

Bought in by Leverkusen to cover for the departed Daniel Carvajal, who was re-signed by Real Madrid, Donati has been largely underwhelming.

"We're convinced that Donati will slot in seamlessly at right-back," Leverkusen executive director Wolfgang Holzhauser said, per the Bundesliga's official website. "We've signed a young, aspiring player, who fits perfectly with the profile of Bayer Leverkusen."

Ranked as the 110th best player in the Bundesliga last season, per Kicker, Donati did not vindicate Holzhauser's vote of confidence. 

League Only	Daniel Carvajal 12-13	Giulio Donati 13-14
Tackle Success %	78.6	63.5
Tackles Per Game	3.4	1.7
Tackles Per Foul	2.4	1.3
Interceptions Per Game	3.7	1.4
Assists	7	1
Key Passes Per Game	1.5	0.8
Passes Per Game	43.6	29.8
Pass Success %	79.8	73.5

Donati was beaten by Carvajal in every major attacking and defensive category when both their first seasons at Leverkusen were statistically compared. 

Heading into the game against Zenit, Donati had not rectified bumbling into the back of Wolfsburg defensive midfielder Junior Malanda.

Seven minutes into the game against Wolfsburg, Donati conceded a penalty and had a red card brandished in front of his face by referee Deniz Aytekin—Leverkusen were beaten 4-1.

Given the first Fernando Torres-esque miss and the sequel, Malanda was grateful for Donati's idiocy.

That play factored into why utility player Roberto Hilbert and Tin Jedvaj—the latter on loan from Roma—have received more minutes at right-back than Donati this season.

"[Donati's] personal struggle in the Champions League is over," per Rheinische Post (h/t the Bundesliga's official website). "Against Zenit he enjoyed a surprise comeback."

This is why Donati's goal against Zenit could be a game-changer for his career, which fizzled in Italy.

"If [Serie A clubs] give the young foreign imports a chance, then why not a young Italian who has a silver medal in the European U21 Championship?" Donati said, per Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia). "I would've appreciated returning to Inter and playing in Serie A, but there were no concrete options for me in Italy."

Ignored by his homeland, Donati became an unlikely bright spot for Italian football in the last Champions League matchday.

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Statistics via WhoScored