Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City goalkeeper will come to understand the subtleties of officiating in England after Gianluigi Donnarumma collected his fourth yellow card in just ten Premier League appearances.
The Italian was cautioned late in City’s tense 3-2 victory over Leeds at the Etihad Stadium, having angrily confronted the referee over a decision.
It was his third caution for dissent this season, with the remaining one given for time wasting.
That latest booking places Donnarumma on the brink of a Premier League first: no goalkeeper has ever reached the five-yellow-card threshold that triggers a suspension.
To avoid breaking new ground for the wrong reasons, the former Paris Saint-Germain keeper must steer clear of any further cautions for the next six league fixtures, with the slate only clearing after New Year’s Day.
It is a delicate tightrope for a player still adjusting to English football’s pace, physicality and refereeing interpretations.
Two of the dissent cautions have come immediately after City conceded goals. Donnarumma – supported by Guardiola – has felt there were fouls committed on him in the build-up to the opposition scoring.
Those frustrations have spilled over in moments of high pressure, leaving him skating close to disciplinary trouble.
Guardiola, though, has attempted to play down the situation whenever asked.
The City manager has even suggested that any ban would simply mean an opportunity for understudy James Trafford, indicating he will not lose sleep over the potential absence of his first-choice goalkeeper.
Such comments underline the Catalan’s determination not to let the issue overshadow his team’s wider ambitions during a congested winter schedule.
However, by Monday Guardiola appeared unwilling to speak about Gianluigi Donnarumma collected his fourth yellow card which has begun to dominate the narrative around his goalkeeper.
The opening part of his weekly press conference lasted barely two minutes before he moved on sharply. He did, though, make a point of expressing confidence in Donnarumma’s growing maturity.
Guardiola stressed that there is little need for a formal sit-down to address the keeper’s behaviour, pointing out that the 26-year-old understands the stakes well enough.
As the manager put it, Donnarumma is “adult enough” to recognise the responsibility he carries. Guardiola added only that: “He will step by step understand a new league, new behaviours.”
The situation highlights the cultural adjustment facing players moving into the Premier League, where referees often allow greater physical contact and where dissent is policed strictly.
Donnarumma’s passionate reactions, common in Serie A and Ligue 1, have not always translated cleanly to the English game.
City coaching staff privately believe that, as he becomes more accustomed to the rhythm of the league, the disciplinary issues will naturally settle.
But his latest booking came during a match in which emotions were already running high. City had been pushed hard by a Leeds side fighting for survival, and Donnarumma’s flash of anger reflected the fraught stakes of a narrow victory. His presence, once again, became part of the story.
Tactical pause sparks fresh debate
On Saturday, Donnarumma also found himself embroiled in another talking point during the second half.
After dropping to the ground apparently injured, the goalkeeper drew the referee’s attention while his City teammates immediately sprinted towards the technical area.
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There, Guardiola held an impromptu tactical talk, offering rapid-fire instructions designed to stem Leeds’ momentum.
Phil Foden later emphasised how valuable that brief interchange had been, noting that the adjustment helped City correct elements of their shape and pressing.
However, the incident sparked frustration from Leeds manager Daniel Farke, who questioned what he viewed as a loophole in the rules.
Farke argued that the officials were left powerless to intervene despite the stoppage effectively creating an unplanned coaching window.
His annoyance underscored ongoing conversations across the league about gamesmanship, injuries, and the grey areas surrounding tactical breaks.