Atalanta and Italy goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi aspires to become ‘one of the best’ but is ‘not disappointed’ to be the Azzurri’s second-choice keeper: ‘Donnarumma is an added value.’

Carnesecchi joined Atalanta coach Maurizio Sarri for a press conference on Wednesday, ahead of a Conference League match against Paphos.

The Italian goalkeeper answered a couple of questions about his role with the Italy national team, where he’s Gianluigi Donnarumma’s backup.

“For us, Donnarumma is an added value for Italy. With him, we always start at 0-0,” Carnesecchi said via TMW.

“I’m not disappointed about not playing because, right now, the good of the Italian national team comes before individuals. Italy need to rebuild on solid foundations. We’re happy to have him, and I’m pleased with what he’s doing.”

When asked which aspects of his game he must improve, Carnesecchi replied: “One thing that drives me mad is dealing with high balls. I need to do more of it.

“I want to be dominant in the air too. It’s true that I improved a lot last year, but I want to do more because it will pay off the hard work I’m putting in. I aspire to become one of the best, and that pushes me to keep improving. I’ve improved a lot with my feet and in goal, but I want to become even more dominant.”

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Carnesecchi ‘not disappointed’ despite Donnarumma’s Italy shadow" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Gironi & Calendario metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Mondiali 2026 Italia Editorial Desk. Readers following "Carnesecchi ‘not disappointed’ despite Donnarumma’s Italy shadow" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.