Donnarumma injury, no card for Singo: controversy over the referee’s decision

Alessandro Grandesso

December 19, 2024 (changed at 11:08) – MILANO

A facial trauma, three deep cuts to the cheek under the back eye, unavailability for many days, but no explanation. Gianluigi Donnarumma returned to Paris during the night with the team and a conspicuous bandage on his face, after having suffered a tackle from Wilfried Singo in a game which raised controversy over the decision of referee Letexier to pardon the defender, not even warned. The former grenade naturally apologized to the PSG goalkeeper for the involuntary gesture and in turn suffered racist insults.

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Donnarumma’s face testifies to the severity of the injury. The Parisian club’s doctors quickly applied around ten stitches to his injuries, but the national team captain will be subjected to new tests this morning to precisely establish the damage and the duration of his absence. For Gigio, the football year ended in the 17th minute when he intervened to close out Singo, who was speeding towards his goal. The central defender attempted a lob and clumsily attempted to avoid his opponent, without managing to avoid hitting Donnarumma’s face with the sole of his boot. The images are impressive and the consequences could have resulted in even more serious damage to the eye.

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For referee Letexier, however, everything was in order. Initially the referee had even decided to award a simple goal kick, before changing his mind and assigning a free kick in favor of the Parisians, without even taking into consideration the warning, when a direct expulsion would have been the only option plausible. Also because Letexier himself, at the end of October, had sent off Marseille’s Harit for an admittedly involuntary cleat to the chest of PSG captain Marquinhos, justifying the red card with the question of physical integrity. However, it was ignored yesterday. Also from VAR. Incomprehensible for the Parisian striker Gonçalo Ramos: “The images are clear, it is not possible that the red card is not given. At the beginning of the season it was explained to us that the referees must protect the players. The referee did not protect Donnarumma.”

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PSG coach Luis Enrique, however, is more moderate: “I can’t do anything about it. I didn’t see the action well, but it’s difficult to express. There is never any intention of causing harm, football is a difficult sport to referee, especially in matches like this. I understand the opinions, but I’m not talking about the referees.” On the other hand, the tone of the Parisian medical statement reveals a more severe analysis. And Donnarumma himself, who went out on foot and not on a stretcher, and was replaced by Safonov, wanted to get explanations from the match director at the break who instead ignored him. For L’Equipe, Singo should have been sent off and Letexier got a 2 on his report card, also for other unclear decisions, such as the generous penalty awarded to Monaco at the start of the second half and for having underestimated certain harsh entries from the Monegasques who had already been booked, including the Singo himself. The former Torino defender, in any case, apologized via Instagram, in French and Italian, reiterating that it was an involuntary gesture and wishing Donnarumma to get well soon. A message which, however, sparked haters with racist comments.