Italy players in Premier League: Donnarumma heroics, another Calafiori clean sheet
Gianluigi Donnarumma made a heroic last-gasp save for Manchester City in their Premier League victory over Liverpool, Riccardo Calafiori helped Arsenal to another clean sheet against Sunderland, but it was a weekend to forget for Italy pair Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie at Tottenham.
Here is how the jItaly internationals in the Premier League got on this weekend.
Donnarumma and Calafiori victories
Italy no.1 Donnarumma played a crucial role as Manchester City claimed an important 2-1 victory away against Arne Slot’s Liverpool on Sunday evening. The highlight of his performance was his late save to deny Alexis Mac Allister’s improvised volley from hitting the top corner of the net.
Fellow Italy colleague Federico Chiesa appeared off the bench in the final stages of the Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City match. Giovanni Leoni remains out injured long term.
Calafiori was back in the Arsenal starting line-up for the first time since his recent injury lay-off and helped the Premier League leaders on their way to a 3-0 victory against Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.
That was the 11th Premier League clean sheet that Calafiori has been involved in this season. He has featured in the league on 18 occasions so far in 2025-26.
Lucca scores on Forest debut
Lorenzo Lucca was the only Italy international who moved to the Premier League during the January transfer window, joining Nottingham Forest on loan with an option to buy from Napoli after falling down the pecking order under Antonio Conte in the early stages of 2025-26.
He was given his first Premier League appearance of the season off the bench in Nottingham Forest’s eventual 3-1 loss against Leeds United. It took him just 32 minutes to find the back of the net on his first outing in the English top flight.
How did the other Italy internationals get on this weekend?
It is turning out to be a memorable season for Michael Kayode and his Brentford colleagues. Many tipped the Bees for relegation after the departure of head coach Thomas Frank in the summer, but they are currently on course to record their strongest ever finish in the Premier League, currently sitting in seventh place after a 3-2 win away against Newcastle United.
Sandro Tonali, who is beginning to attract more and more transfer interest, was a starter in the Newcastle side that lost 3-2 to Brentford.
2026 has not been kind to Vicario and Udogie at Tottenham. Spurs are without a Premier League win in 2026, a run that is now up to seven matches after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester United.
Wilfried Gnonto was an unused substitute for Leeds, who beat Lucca’s Nottingham Forest 3–1.