European champions cause a 'major crisis' for Man City

The Etihad Stadium team faces the prospect of losing a key figure in their upcoming matches.

Just three months after joining Manchester City, Italy’s number one goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, is approaching an unprecedented milestone in the Premier League. He is on the verge of becoming the first goalkeeper in the league’s history to be suspended after accumulating five yellow cards. This is a shocking figure for a goalkeeper, especially considering Donnarumma has only played 10 matches since transferring from PSG in the recent summer transfer window.

In the recent 3-2 victory over Leeds United, Donnarumma received a yellow card from the referee for protesting a decision made by the match officials. In fact, this was the third time the 26-year-old goalkeeper was cautioned for similar misconduct, along with another yellow card for time wasting. This means Donnarumma must now be very careful with his discipline in upcoming matches, starting with the away game at Fulham on Tuesday evening and continuing for at least the next five Premier League fixtures.

According to current rules, after the New Year’s Day match against Sunderland, Manchester City’s 19th game of the season, the number of yellow cards needed for suspension will increase from 5 to 10. When asked about this issue at the latest press conference, Coach Pep Guardiola appeared quite calm: “If that’s how it is, then so be it.” He also emphasized that he would not hesitate to give opportunities to backup goalkeeper James Trafford, who returned to Etihad this summer from Burnley for £31 million, should Donnarumma be suspended.

Besides the disciplinary issues, Donnarumma attracted attention by lying on the ground for treatment during the Leeds match, allowing Pep Guardiola to use the moment to directly communicate tactical instructions to his players. This incident has sparked debate about a possible rule change: currently, outfield players must leave the pitch for 30 seconds if suffering a minor injury, but this does not apply to goalkeepers.

BBC reports that a proposal under consideration would require teams to temporarily remove a player if the goalkeeper needs treatment, while forbidding players from approaching the sidelines during this time. This idea is gaining increasing support from clubs.

Donnarumma’s risk of setting an “undesired record” just months into his Premier League career is not only a personal mark but also a significant challenge for Manchester City in their title defense. Fans are eagerly waiting to see whether the Italian goalkeeper will avoid suspension or leave behind a controversial historic record in the world’s toughest league.

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Leeds coach accuses Donnarumma of 'dirty play' to help Man City Coach Daniel Farke recently claimed that goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma faked injury to give Pep Guardiola a chance to deliver tactical instructions while Leeds threatened to cause an upset at Etihad. See more