Gianluigi Donnarumma, perched on the training pitch at Manchester City’s Etihad complex, is still riding the high of the recent Manchester Derby triumph. While the match’s controversial last‑minute goal from Erling Haaland continues to spark debate, the Italian goalkeeper’s thoughts are elsewhere. He remains irritated by Phil Foden’s harsh red card earlier in the game, yet his primary satisfaction stems from the way his side responded when they were reduced to ten men and faced a cascade of adverse moments.
"I loved my teammates' performance; it was sublime," Donnarumma told Sky Sports. "The ability to stay in the fight, to react when things get tough – that’s something no one can strip from us.
We will give everything for this shirt, for this club that gives us so much and offers us incredible support. It has a great history, and we need to give a lot back to it." City entered the international break with an unbeaten record, a rarity given the recent departures of key figures from Pep Guardiola’s golden era – Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Rodri have all moved on.
The squad has shown flashes of brilliance but also moments of uncertainty, and Donnarumma himself admits there is still much to learn even after a flawless start to the Enzo Maresca era. Yet the club’s board and supporters have framed this campaign not as a rebuilding phase but as a continuation of the winning tradition. "I don’t really like the word ‘transition’," he added.
"The club’s objective is to win. This team’s objective is to win. We’ll certainly give everything we can to achieve that. We could finish the season with trophies or with nothing, but what matters is the winning mentality – going out there and trying to win everything we possibly can." That winning mentality is being reinforced by a newly‑formed leadership group, of which Donnarumma is a central figure.
Alongside centre‑back Ruben Dias, striker Erling Haaland and defender Marc Guehi, the quartet brings a wealth of experience, having lifted silverware both at City and elsewhere. Their role is to set standards for the incoming talents – Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Iliman Ndiaye – who are expected to make an immediate impact in what the club insists is not a transition year but a season of ambition.
"We’ve changed a few players. A few new ones have arrived," Donnarumma explained.
"They’re all top‑class players used to playing on the biggest stages, dealing with pressure, and competing 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 objectives, according to the goalkeeper, are crystal clear: fight for the Premier League title, push deep into the Champions League, and contest both domestic cups.
City’s leadership wants to send a message that nothing is off‑limits. Yet the path to those ambitions is likely to be blocked by a familiar rival – Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side also began the campaign with four straight league victories before stumbling against Brighton, and they carry the psychological boost of having edged City to the Premier League title in the previous season’s closing weeks. The recent Guardiola documentary captured a somber moment when City slipped up at Bournemouth, allowing the Gunners to clinch the title.
Donnarumma, who had been part of five consecutive league‑winning squads, recalled the disappointment: "It’s difficult, but that’s football, that’s life. You’re not alone.
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 each match with the intent 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." When asked whether City and Arsenal will once again be the two teams battling for the crown in May, Donnarumma was cautious. "I don’t know. We’re only four games into the season," he said, before underscoring the immediate focus: "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." Beyond the on‑field tactics, Donnarumma highlighted the off‑field integration of new signings, noting that the club’s culture emphasizes comfort and belonging. He described how senior players mentor newcomers, helping them settle into Manchester life and the rigours of the Premier League.
This blend of experience and fresh talent, he believes, is the formula for a season that could see City lift multiple trophies and re‑assert their dominance both domestically and in Europe. In summary, Donnarumma’s message is simple yet powerful: Manchester City is not in a period of transition; they are in a phase of relentless pursuit of glory.
With a seasoned leadership core, a wave of promising newcomers, and a club ethos rooted in winning, the team aims to make the upcoming months a showcase of resilience, ambition, and, ultimately, success.