Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian goalkeeper for Manchester City, is still riding the high of the recent Manchester Derby triumph as he sits in the club's training complex. While the controversial last‑minute winner by Erling Haaland continues to spark debate, Donnarumma is more focused on the collective resilience his teammates displayed, especially after the red card shown to Phil Foden earlier in the match. "We were a man down, everything seemed to be working against us, yet we showed real character and secured the win," he told Sky Sports.
He praised his colleagues, describing their performance as "sublime" and emphasizing the squad's ability to stay composed under pressure. "The capacity to stay in the game and to react to difficult moments – no one can take that away from us," he added. The goalkeeper also spoke about the deep sense of duty he feels toward the club's iconic shirt and its passionate fan base.
"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. City entered the international break with an almost perfect record, having lost only a handful of points and still holding an unbeaten run in the league. This is noteworthy because the team has already said goodbye to several key figures from Pep Guardiola's era, including Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Rodri.
Their departures have raised questions about whether the side can maintain its dominance without those experienced players. Even with a flawless start to the Enzo Maresca era, Donnanuma admits there are still areas that need improvement. He rejects the label "transition season" that many pundits have used to describe the current campaign.
"I don't really like the word 'transition.' 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 asserted. The goalkeeper stressed that the ultimate measure of success is not whether the season ends with trophies, but whether the squad maintains a winning mentality throughout.
"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," he explained. Donnarumma has been appointed to a newly‑formed leadership group that replaces the departing veterans.
Alongside him sit centre‑back Ruben Dias, striker Erling Haaland and defender Marc Guehi. All four have a wealth of experience and have lifted trophies at both Manchester City and other clubs, giving them the credibility to guide the newer arrivals. Young talents such as Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Iliman Ndiaye are expected to make an immediate impact, even though the club insists this is not a rebuilding year.
Donnarumma believes the newcomers are already adapting well to the demands of the Premier League. "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," he said.
He also highlighted the role of the existing squad in helping the newcomers settle. "The players who were already here are helping them a lot. I think we're going to have a great season," Donnarumma added.
The overarching goal, according to the goalkeeper, is to compete on every front – the Premier League, the Champions League and the two domestic cups. "The objective is to get to the end and compete for everything there is to compete for," he affirmed. City's ambition is clear: they want to prove that they can still dominate even without the likes of Silva, Stones and Rodri. However, a major obstacle stands in their way – Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta's side also began the season with a string of four consecutive league victories before stumbling against Brighton. Moreover, Arsenal enjoyed a psychological boost after edging City out for the Premier League title in the previous season, a disappointment that was captured in the recent Guardiola documentary showing City players’ dejection after a slip‑up at Bournemouth that handed the title to the Gunners. Donnarumma, who has collected the Premier League crown in each of the five seasons prior to that loss, reflected on the sting of missing out. "It's difficult, but that's football, that's life.
You're not on your own," he said. "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 stressed the importance of approaching every match with the intention to win. "It's important to go into every game trying to win it.
Certainly, our objective will be to win, but there are other teams too. You have to compete, you have to work, and you have to do everything possible because the history of this club demands it," Donnarumma explained. When asked whether City and Arsenal will once again be the two teams battling for the top spot in May, the goalkeeper was cautious. "I don't know.
We're only four games into the season," he replied. Nonetheless, he believes the foundation has been laid. "Our focus right now has to be on working and trying to win every game. That has to be our objective.
Whether we achieve it in the end or not, only time will tell," he concluded. The message from Manchester City is unmistakable: with a blend of seasoned leaders, emerging talents, and a relentless desire to win, the club is poised to challenge for every trophy on offer.
The coming months will test the squad's depth, resolve and ability to maintain the high standards set by their illustrious history, but Donnarumma and his fellow leaders appear confident that the season will be a memorable one for the Etihad faithful.