Gianluigi Donnarumma, perched on the training pitch at the Etihad, still feels the afterglow of Manchester City’s dramatic Manchester Derby triumph. While the headline‑grabbing late winner from Erling Haaland has dominated the talk of the town, the Italian goalkeeper is more focused on the collective resilience his teammates displayed, especially after the controversial dismissal of Phil Foden earlier in the match.
"This is who we are. This is our team. This is City," Donnarumma told Sky Sports, a statement that captures the club's identity and his personal commitment.
He praised his colleagues for their "sublime" performance, highlighting their ability to stay composed under pressure and to respond to adversity. "No one can take that away from us," he added, underscoring the mental toughness that has become a hallmark of the side. The goalkeeper also spoke about the honour of wearing the sky‑blue shirt.
"We will give everything for this shirt, for this club that gives us so much and offers us so much great support. It has a great history, and we need to give a lot back to it," he said, reminding fans that the legacy of Manchester City is built on both past glories and present dedication. City entered the match with the pressure of maintaining a perfect record for the season, a feat made more challenging by the looming international break and the departure of several key figures from Pep Guardiola's era – namely Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Rodri. Despite these losses, the squad has shown flashes of brilliance, though Donnarumma admits there is still room for improvement.
"I don’t really like the word ‘transition’," he confessed. "The club's objective is to win. This team's objective is to win.
We'll certainly give everything we can to achieve that." He emphasized that the season is not a rebuilding year but a campaign aimed at adding more trophies to the cabinet. The ambition is clear: to compete on all fronts – the Premier League, the Champions League, and both domestic cups – and to finish the campaign with silverware.
"We could reach the end of the season having won something, or having won nothing. But what's important is having a winning mentality, going out there and trying to win everything we possibly can," Donnarumma explained. A significant development this season is the formation of a new leadership group, replacing the departing veterans.
Donnarumma now sits alongside Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland and Marc Guehi as the core of the squad’s hierarchy. All four have extensive experience of winning major honours, both at City and elsewhere, and they are tasked with setting standards for the newcomers. Speaking about the influx of fresh talent – players such as Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Ilimian Ndiaye – Donnarumma said, "We've changed a few players. A few new ones have arrived.
They're all top players who are used to playing on the biggest stages, dealing with certain situations, and playing in the Premier League. It's not easy at the beginning when you move to a new club, a new organisation, a new city. But they're adapting well, and we're making them feel comfortable. The players who were already here are helping them a lot.
I think we're going to have a great season." The goalkeeper also stressed the importance of a unified goal: "The objective is to get to the end and compete for everything there is to compete for – in addition to the Premier League, there's the Champions League and the two domestic cups." This declaration serves as a warning to rivals that City intends to fight for every trophy. One of those rivals is Arsenal, who have also begun the campaign with five straight wins and enjoy the psychological boost of having edged City out for the Premier League title in May of the previous season. The recent documentary on Pep Guardiola captured a somber moment when City slipped up against Bournemouth, allowing the Gunners to clinch the championship.
Donnarumma, who was part of the squad that won the league five times in a row before that disappointment, reflected on the setback: "It's difficult, but that's football, that's life. You're not on your own.
There are other strong teams, especially in the Premier League. It's not that if you don't win there isn't disappointment – of course there is – but it can happen because there are other teams as well, just like in the Champions League." He reiterated that the club must approach each match with the intention to win. "You have to compete, you have to work, and you have to do everything possible because the history of this club demands it," he said. When asked whether City and Arsenal will again dominate the top of the table in May, Donnarumma was cautious: "I don't know.
We're only four games into the season. Our focus right now has to be on working and trying to win every game. Whether we achieve it in the end or not, only time will tell." Beyond the on‑field battles, Donnarumma highlighted the broader context of the season, noting that the squad's depth and experience will be tested in the congested fixture list that includes a Carabao Cup third‑round tie against Norwich City and a Premier League clash with Sunderland.
These matches provide opportunities for the newer players to prove themselves and for the leadership group to embed a culture of relentless ambition. In summary, Donnarumma's message is clear: Manchester City are not in a period of transition but are poised for a season of contention across all competitions.
With a blend of seasoned winners and hungry newcomers, guided by a leadership quartet that embodies the club's winning ethos, the team aims to honour its storied past while forging new triumphs. The journey ahead will be demanding, but the goalkeeper believes the collective will rise to the challenge, driven by a shared desire to bring trophies back to the Etihad.