Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique insists that he has no hard feelings towards his former goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, whom he labeled ‘amongst the best in the world’ ahead of their reunion in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Donnarumma spent four years with PSG between 2021 and 2025, winning four consecutive Ligue 1 titles, two under Enrique, and the 2024-25 Champions League.

He was allowed to leave the club for Manchester City in what is widely considered a bargain for a goalkeeper of his calibre, costing around €27m in transfer fees. He had been into the final year of his contract with PSG and had not come to an agreement over an extension.

This led the Parisian side to sell Donnarumma, avoiding the increasingly realistic possibility that he would leave the club for free the following summer, and brought in Lucas Chevalier from Lille instead.

Donnarumma is set to go up against his former club when they visit the Etihad Stadium in the second round of Champions League league phase fixtures on Wednesday night.

PSG head coach Luis Enrique was asked about his relationship with Donnarumma in a pre-match interview with Sky Sports , especially given that Chevalier, who was brought in to replace the Italian, has not featured for PSG since January.

“We know him well and we know that it will be very difficult to score goals because he is amongst the best goalkeepers in the world, without any doubt,” said Enrique.

“I was lucky enough to know Gigio as a person and I’m very happy to see him again and give him a big hug. But, after the game.”

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Луис Энрике: «Доннарумма – один из лучших вратарей мира»" 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 "Луис Энрике: «Доннарумма – один из лучших вратарей мира»" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.