Donnarumma showered with fake money by furious Milan fans on return to San Siro
AC Milan supporters gave Gianluigi Donnarrumma a hostile reception on his return to the San Siro, throwing fake money in the direction of the Italy goalkeeper.
Donnarumma, 24, came through Milan's academy and made his senior debut at the age of just 16. He left the club on a free in 2021, though, opting to join Paris Saint-Germain in the same summer in which he enjoyed Euro 2020 success with Italy.
With Milan and PSG facing off in this season's Champions League, the keeper was given a chance to take to the field in front of his old supporters for the first time. If he'd hoped for a rousing welcome home, he was out of luck.
The 'Dollarumma' notes came after Milan ultras wrote to Donnarumma on the eve of the game. In it, they criticised his refusal to sign a new contract, a move which cost the Rossoneri the chance to recoup a hefty fee for one of their own.
“Dear Mercenary… Being the romantic dreamers that we are, we Milanisti expected Gianluigi Donnarumma to behave like a declared Rossoneri fan," the letter began, as translated by Football Italia. "We expected gratitude from someone who like us said he only had Milan in his heart, albeit aware that in today’s football it is difficult to resist certain calls.
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“Milan too certainly deserved recognition from Donnarumma for all the club had done for him, for having chosen him, raised him and launched his Serie A career. Milan, who in the years when negotiating with Donnarumma were struggling financially, could’ve earned an important sum from his sale, if he had not tried in every possible way to leave as a free agent.
The fake banknotes carried Donnarumma's face and the word 'mercenary' (Getty Images)“If he had allowed Milan to earn from his sale, Donnarumma would’ve shown his recognition and even his love for the Diavolo, albeit in an unusual manner, to thank those who made his childhood dreams come true," the letter continued. “But the story went a different way to what we hoped and deserved, as we were taken for a ride, with Milan forced to give up on an investment they had worked on.
“For tonight we printed up a million fake banknotes to throw at Donnarumma. If the goalkeeper is under the Curva Sud in the first half, at the 10th minute to mark the 10 million he took to go to Paris, we will throw. If Donnarumma is under the Curva Sud in the second half, it will be just before the game restarts.”
It ended up being the first half when the notes were thrown. PSG took an early lead in the game through Milan Skriniar, only for Milan to respond through Rafael Leao before taking the lead themselves early in the second half when Olivier Giroud headed home.
Donnarumma was seen picking notes off the pitch (AP)Milan fans weren't the only ones hitting out at perceived greed during Tuesday's Champions League action. During the other game in their group, Borussia Dortmund fans unveiled a banner bearing the words “You don’t care about the sport - all you care about is money!”.
Dortmund supporters, who also threw imitation gold bars from the stands, made it clear they were against the expansion of the Champions League. They have argued online that the expansion to 36 clubs - which comes into force next season - is motivated by TV money and at the expense of fans, among others.
"It's about the fan in front of the screen and an increase in the number of games that can be consumed in front of the screen," a message on a url linked to on Dortmund fans' banners reads. "This results in higher TV revenues and therefore more money for associations and clubs – at the expense of players, fans and national competitions."
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