Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s face was bloodied after being hit by an opponent’s cleat in the team’s 4-2 Ligue 1 win over Monaco on Wednesday.
The Italy international’s face was cut up by Wilfried Singo’s studs in the 17th minute of the game.
Singo, whose shot had been blocked, tried to jump over the sliding Donnarumma but instead struck his face.
Pictures showed that Donnarumma was cut below his right eye. Singo, who had already been warned, was lucky to avoid a red card.
Donnarumma was left lying on the pitch while receiving treatment. He finally stood up and walked away to be replaced by Matvei Safonov.
Monaco have condemned the racist insults aimed at defender Singo, who apologised to Donnarumma both in person and on social media after the game.
“My gesture was obviously not intentional, but I was able to see afterwards that he had a significant injury to his face,” Singo wrote on social media in French and Italian. “I wish you a good recovery.”
PSG posted a video showing Singo in its dressing room and speaking with a smiling Donnarumma after the match. In the footage, the goalkeeper can be heard saying in Italian “Tranquillo,” which in that context translates as: “Don’t worry.”
After the game, PSG said in a statement: “Gianluigi Donnarumma will return to Paris with the team this evening after suffering a facial trauma with multiple cuts. He will undergo medical examinations tomorrow and will have to rest for several days.”
PSG manager Luis Enrique would not criticise referee Francois Letexier after the match for not issuing Singo a card of any kind.
“The refereeing decisions? I can’t do anything, I couldn’t see the action, but when you see an action like that it’s always difficult,” he said in a post-match interview. “The players don’t intend to hurt. It’s difficult to referee this kind of match, I’m not talking about the refereeing work.”
The win puts Luis Enrique’s PSG 10 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table, but the capital club is struggling in the new format of the Champions League and is currently outside the spots to advance with two games left to play.
Monaco remained in third place, level on points with second-place Marseille, which has one match in hand.
The match was brought forward because of a scheduling conflict with the Trophée des Champions between the two clubs on Jan. 5 in Doha during the weekend that the French league resumes.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.
