Gianluigi Donnarumma 'Reduced to Tears' After AC Milan Fan Protest
December 14, 2017
Gianluigi Donnarumma was reduced to tears and had to be consoled by Leonardo Bonucci after AC Milan fans unfurled a banner at the San Siro on Wednesday calling for the goalkeeper to "get out" of the club.
Per Callum Davis in the Telegraph, ahead of Milan's 3-0 Coppa Italia defeat of Verona, supporters held up a huge banner which read: "Moral violence, six million per year and the signing of a parasite brother? Now get out, the patience is over!"
MailOnline's Jaime Wright focused on the post-match events and reported the goalkeeper was "reduced to tears."
It came in the wake of widespread rumours in the summer that the 18-year-old could depart the Rossoneri and recent reports the goalkeeper's agent, Mino Raiola, had found a loophole in his new contract allowing it to be cancelled, per Corriere della Sera (via Goal's Ben Valentine).
Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso has said the teenager was affected by the reaction but refused to be drawn into criticism of the agent.
"He's an 18-year-old kid, of course he was shaken," Gattuso told Rai Sport (h/t Davis). "You can tell from his face he's not happy, but I have known a great athlete and great kid. He will have my protection, for all the protection I can give.
"I'm not talking about Mino Raiola, because I speak to Gigio every day. I don't know if Mino is trying to push players away from the club either."
The anger towards the 'keeper has not stopped on the terraces, with Italy's former Prime Minister Enrico Letta taking to Twitter to put the boot into Donnarumma.
"I'm sorry to say it, but if I were in the Curva at San Siro tonight, I'd whistle Donnarumma," Letta wrote on Twitter (h/t Football Italia).
Donnarumma's brother, Antonio, was signed in the summer as a back-up to his younger brother and reportedly to keep Gianluigi happy at Milan, per FourFourTwo. He has yet to make an appearance this season.
According to Davis, Milan's fans made their protest before the clash against Verona, and Donnarumma was in tears in the dressing room after the pre-match warm-up.
Italian football writer Tancredi Palmeri provided an image of Bonucci consoling the young goalkeeper:
Despite still being a teenager, Donnarumma is in his third season as Milan's No. 1. He has played every minute of their Serie A campaign this term.
He is widely regarded as one of the best young goalkeepers in the world and was linked with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, per Mark Dobson of the Guardian.
It does not seem likely he will be inclined to remain at the San Siro much longer given the protests from fans.
Equally, despite having spent over £200 million to revamp their squad in the summer, Milan are down in seventh place in Serie A, 16 points back from leaders Inter Milan.