Their respective coaches, Hansi Flick and Roberto Mancini, have entrusted them with the captain's armband, and do not see them as real competition, even if the Belgian Thibaut Courtois has once again shown this season the extent of his immense talent to guide Real Madrid towards a 14th coronation in the Champions League.
"Gigio for me remains the best goalkeeper in Europe, if he wants to play, he plays", has already decided Mancini.
Flick has almost the same words for Neuer, still unstoppable at 36, to the chagrin of his Barcelona rival Marc-Andre ter Stegen: "Manu is and remains a world-class goalkeeper, and for me the best in the world", assures he.
In the first leg against Germany (1-1) in early June, Donnarumma had made several decisive saves, regaining some of the brilliance of the Euro at the end of a complicated season with Paris SG.
While Mancini has changed almost all the field players from one game to another in June (Argentina, Germany, Hungary, England), the coach has always aligned the Parisian in the cage.
Despite a slight injury to a finger and with the captain's armband for two games due to his seniority (already 46 selections at only 23 years old).
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma blocks the shot of an Argentinian player during the 1st edition of the "Finalissima", which pits the European champion against the Copa America champion, on June 1, 2022 at Wembley Stadium in London Ben Stansall AFP/Archives
Unusual errors
The coach knows that his goalkeeper, named best player of the last Euro, especially needs confidence and playing time at the moment.
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma deflects the shot from Spanish striker Alvaro Morata during the Euro-2020 semi-final penalty shootout on July 6, 2021 at Wembley Stadium in London Matt Dunham POOL / AFP /Archives
His difficulties at PSG – the frontal competition with Keylor Navas and the blunder in the round of 16 return against Real Madrid (3-1 defeat) – ended up shaking the impassive "Gigio" and rubbing off on his performances in selection.
We have seen him make unusual mistakes this season with the Nazionale, such as a strange handball in October against Spain (1-2) during the Final 4 of the League of Nations or a missed restart on Saturday against England (0-0), fortunately without unfortunate consequences for him.
But Donnarumma demonstrated in June that her motivation remained optimal.
"My finger injury? For this jersey, we can play even without a finger! This jersey is priceless", he claimed after the victory against Hungary (2-1), well decided, like all of Italy, to turn the page on this dark season, marked by the elimination of the World Cup in the play-off against North Macedonia (1-0).
"Manual combines everything"
Neuer, he saved the point of a draw for Germany twice already in this League of Nations.
Against England (1-1), the captain with 112 selections, released two extraterrestrial parades in front of Bukayo Saka then Harry Kane.
The 2014 world champion and double winner of the C1 with Bayern Munich (2013, 2020) did it again four days later in Hungary (1-1) by dismissing a goal ball from Attila Fiola with his foot, in his unmistakable style that evokes that of ice hockey goalies.
Oliver Bierhoff, 1996 European champion now manager of the German selection, was again ecstatic after the match against England: "Manuel combines everything, he said, he is strong in his position, he anticipates incredibly well, he is fast despite his age, reactive and flexible (...) and at the same time he is very strong on foot".
German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer intervenes in front of Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen, during their friendly match, June 2, 2021 in Innsbruck, as a preparation for Euro-2020 Federico Gambarini POOL / AFP / Archives
On Tuesday, Italy in reconstruction will defend its first place in the group (5 pts), against a Germany (3rd, 3 pts) in full doubt after its three consecutive draws in the competition.
The attackers of the two four-star selections of world champions must do better than on the way.
But the two goalkeeper-captains could once again steal the show.
© 2022 AFP