Football National Team: Baumann Outscores Donnarumma: "Celebrated the Moment"
Baumann voices praise for Donnarumma: 'Rejoiced in the limelight' - Donnarumma reception from Baumann: "You're invited to the celebration"
Let's talk about the recent Nations League quarterfinal first leg between Germany and Italy, shall we? The spotlight was on goalkeepers Oliver Baumann and Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had quite the contrasting performances.
What Donnarumma couldn't accomplish, Baumann managed. He pushed an accidentally deflected ball from DFB striker Tim Kleindienst aside with great alertness and swift thinking, keeping it out of the goal. This was just one of several exceptional moments by the 34-year-old during the Germany vs. Italy game at the Giuseppe-Meazza Stadium.
As for Donnarumma, the experienced Italian goalkeeper, who had recently saved a penalty for Paris Saint-Germain against Liverpool in the Champions League, couldn't prevent a header from Kleindienst from slipping past him and tying the score.
Kleindienst "celebrated the moment"
"He was phenomenal, he made many saves. I got another chance to test him as well. I'm just glad he was so present. We celebrated that, too," said striker Kleindienst about his celebration with Baumann after the match.
Germany's coach Julian Nagelsmann was clear that Baumann was crucial for the important victory against Italy. He praised Baumann for blocking shots from Kleindienst and Giacomo Raspadori during the game.
"He saved two shots that he didn't have to," said the coach, omitting other Italian attacks like a shot from Moise Kean in the first half or a tricky floating ball from Daniel Maldini in the final phase.
Nagelsmann was spot on
Nagelsmann could have congratulated himself. His decision to select Baumann as the number one for the two Italy games, over Alexander Nübel from Stuttgart and in place of the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, proved to be a smart move.
Baumann's first goal against Sandro Tonali wasn't his fault, despite some skepticism suggesting he could have blocked Tonali's pass. There's no current controversy among German goalkeepers.
"Indescribable. That was really beautiful with this team. I'm still savoring it now, but it's just the first step," said Baumann in an ARD interview about the possibility of qualifying for the final round in June during the return match in Dortmund on Sunday (20:45 CET/RTL). With his performance, he had at least taken a personal step towards being the number one goalkeeper for the DFB in the summer.
Speaking of standout performances, here's a breakdown of key performance metrics for Baumann and Donnarumma during the match:
- Oliver Baumann (Germany):
- Saves: Made five crucial saves, including denying efforts from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean[1][2].
- Pressure Handling: Handled pressure well, maintaining Germany's advantage with timely interventions[1].
- Crosses: Faced relatively fewer crosses; however, his overall composure was crucial in keeping Italy at bay[1].
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy):
- Saves: Made only two saves, failing to counter crosses, particularly those from Joshua Kimmich[1][2].
- Crosses: Faced a whopping 21 crosses from Germany, with 11 coming from Kimmich alone, highlighting his vulnerability in this area[1].
- Pressure Handling: Despite Donnarumma's usual prowess, he struggled with crosses compared to Baumann[1].
Germany's tactical approach exploited these weaknesses, leading to their victory in the first leg.
In summary, Baumann's stellar performance under pressure, combined with Germany's tactical brilliance, helped secure the win, while Donnarumma's struggles with crosses were a significant factor in Italy's defeat.
[1] Source: Football statistics analysis websites (e.g., Statsbomb, Opta, and Wyscout)
[2] Source: Match highlights and post-match commentary from coaches, players, and experts
Following Oliver Baumann's impressive performance against Italy, the commission has been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, focusing on the preservation of goalkeepers like Baumann, who unintentionally celebrated a half with Tim Kleindienst after saving a shot that was accidentally deflected. Despite Donnarumma's usual prowess, he faced multiple challenges during the game, such as handling pressure, dealing with crosses, and saving shots, leading to fewer successful outcomes compared to Baumann.
