“Football is a sport made of mistakes. The problem is that when it’s an attacker or a midfielder it’s not serious, when it’s a goalkeeper it’s much more visible. The most important thing for me is that my players achieve on the pitch what I ask of them. Gigio was superb. He got up after a mistake. I make mistakes in every match. I am delighted with his performance”. This is what Luis Enrique said after Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-2 victory against AS Monaco. That evening, the native of Castellammare di Stabia, regularly criticized for his fragile footwork, once again broke down by being guilty of a terrible recovery error, allowing the Monegasques to equalize through Takumi Minamino (22nd). If his coach had not wanted to overwhelm his protégé, the new nightmarish performance performed by the former AC Milan goalkeeper against Le Havre (0-2) during this 14th day of Ligue 1 could well change the situation.
Donnarumma makes another mistake, Tenas takes advantage!
Aligned in the Parisian goals and protected by an unprecedented defense made up of Carlos Soler, Nordi Mukiele, Danilo Pereira and Achraf Hakimi, the 24-year-old Italian has – once again – foundered. Author of a murderous outing on Josué Casimir, PSG number 99 sent his foot level with the Le Havre winger’s face and quickly saw red (9th). Already in the midst of a storm after his more than fragile performance against Newcastle – the 1m96 right-hander was not exempt from any reproaches on Tino Livramento’s strike, allowing Alexander Isak to open the scoring straight away – Gianluigi Donnarumma therefore does not help his case. Far from it. So, of course, football is a sport made of mistakes and this new blunder did not prevent PSG from achieving a seventh success in a row in Ligue 1 but this (unfortunately) usual fragility is calling out more and more, in particular before a more than crucial meeting against Borussia Dortmund on the European scene.
More than a faulty footwork, the reliability, mentality and leadership of the transalpine international (60 caps) raise serious questions. Capable of sublimating himself by multiplying decisive saves, Donnarumma also shines through this chronic inconsistency. Enough to push Luis Enrique to review his plans? Nothing is less sure. What is, however, is that the young Spanish goalkeeper Arnau Tenas (22 years old) seems to have shoulders big enough and backs strong enough to replace his teammate. Coming into play against the Ciel et Marine after the red card received by the Italian, the Parisian summer recruit held his position perfectly. Not necessarily always precise in his kicking game but author of some clever raises allowing PSG to quickly create space, the goalkeeper trained at Barça especially stood out on his line. Imperial on the tense half-volley from Yassine Kechta (51st) at the entrance to the area, the Spaniard did not tremble either to capture the crushed shot from Mohamed Bayo (58th) and thus preserve the three points.
A welcomed first!
Accomplice with his central hinge and not hesitating to multiply the instructions to reassure his troops, Tenas even reached the heights by offering himself an exceptional reflex save with the right hand on a cross cut with a header by Bayo (64th). Far from being satisfied for his big debut at PSG, the Parisian number 80 still shone with a precious double save against Alioui (78th). Still calm when diverting Bayo’s attempt (85), the X factor of the day finally concluded this masterclass with 7 saves (2 aerial exits, 1 cross captured, 1.12 XG avoided and 55 balls hit). Credited with an 8 by the FM editorial team and logically elected man of the match, the person concerned could only savor a few moments after this more than promising debut. “It’s special to me! Playing with PSG and this group. The coach told me to play calmly, I work for the team and PSG! A dream of playing for PSG? I’m working, I’m ready, I’m ready for anything”thus assured the great architect of the Parisian victory at the microphone of Prime Video before saying more about his performance.
“It’s amazing for me today. I thought of my family, my father, my brother, the whole family at home. It’s my debut with PSG, Le Havre played well. Our team worked well, it’s a perfect day for me. I thought of my family when I got home. I want to say hello to all my family. It’s special for me, the club and PSG. My job is to work for the whole team. I’m ready”. Present in the mixed zone, Arnau Tenas provided further details. “Today I am very happy with my performance, thank you to the club, to PSG, to the fans. It was a very difficult match because PSG played with one less player. In this club it’s very easy for me, I’m ready for anything, I spoke with the team and the team gave me that confidence to play. I don’t care about being number 2, 3 or 4, I’m here to work and always be ready. I just want to give my best for this team and keep working every day. If I have to play one minute, I play one minute, if it has to be five, it will be five. I just have to train and always be ready.”.
Smiling, serene and already very comfortable with the French language, the Spaniard also returned to his integration into PSG, while responding bluntly to rumors of Sportrecently affirming the hypothesis of a loan during the winter transfer window. “I understand French very easily because between Catalan and French, it’s very similar and during the week, I also have two French classes so that’s also why (laughs). A loan next winter? I’m just thinking about the upcoming match, I’m very happy at PSG. I work, I train hard and I continue to learn a lot from this team which is one of the best in the world”. Questioned in turn, Luis Enrique did not fail to praise the masterful performance of his protégé, without incriminating Gianluigi Donnarumma. “Tenas is a professional boy, who tries to give everything. It was his moment and he showed everyone he was prepared. Donnarumma? There was a mistake with the line of defenders. We were distracted, he tried to intervene, but the attacker was in front of him., analyzed, in this sense, the former coach of La Roja. Relaunched on Tenas at a press conference, the Parisian coach was even a little more talkative about the Spaniard.
Tenas, more than just a replacement?
“Arnau, I know him very well since when he was in the U20s and I was coach of the Spain team, I happened to take him with me, in the A group. He adapts perfectly to the idea of football that teams have that want to bring out the ball. He is a goalkeeper who always trains as if it were his last training session. He’s a professional. Today he had an opportunity as happens in a career and he took it well. He was at his level”. Impressively, anyone who sees their contract run until June 2026 will, in any case, have scored valuable points at the start of the afternoon of December 3 and will thus have left no one indifferent. “It quickly turned to our advantage with this red card. But these are the big teams, they know how to do it even with 10. We lacked efficiency. The goalkeeper had a very good match, very good saves. (…) They have a very good defense, each time there was a foot, a head or the goalkeeper with his saves”noted with this in mind Nabil Alioui at the microphone of Prime Video.
Efficient on his line, valuable for his partners and central element of the very good accounting operation carried out by the Rouge et Bleu, can Arnau Tenas now establish himself more permanently in the Parisian cages? If it seems difficult to imagine a scenario where the Spaniard would send Gianluigi Donnarumma to the bench, he should, however, have a new opportunity to show himself against FC Nantes on the 15th day of Ligue 1. luck which could even last over time with the upcoming suspension of the Italian, who should miss at least one match (the sanction could however be heavier given the dangerousness of the action), and a Keylor Navas not necessarily involved in the new Ile-de-France project. A nightmare for Gianluigi Donnarumma, this Normandy afternoon therefore suggests a rather bright future for Arnau Tenas…
