Donnarumma eclipses Buffon with 200th Milan appearance

Gianluigi Donnarumma made his 200th appearance in club football on Tuesday in Milan’s Serie A clash with Sassuolo. 

The goalkeeper made his debut against the same opposition at the age of 16 years and 242 days on October 25, 2015. 

The Italy international made his 100th appearance against Fiorentina on December 30, 2017, when he was still shy of his 19th birthday. 

Donnarumma reached his double century at 21 years and 146 days. At the same age, Juventus veteran Gianluigi Buffon had played 134 club matches, all for Parma. 

200 – Gianluigi #Donnarumma will play tonight his 200th Club game – all with #ACMilan – at the same age, 21 years and 146 days, Gianluigi #Buffon had 134 games with Club. Destine.#SassuoloMilan pic.twitter.com/xXM16N6utY

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) July 21, 2020

Unsurprisingly, Donnarumma has made more appearances for Milan than any player currently in the squad, the keeper having been a rare point of consistency during some turbulent years. 

He conceded 208 goals in his first 199 games, keeping 68 clean sheets, 56 of which came in Serie A. In the past five seasons, only Inter keeper Samir Handanovic (67) has managed more in the top tier of Italian football. 

Since his debut, Donnarumma made 511 saves in league games, a number bettered only by Andrea Consigli (532), the man in the opposite goal on Tuesday. 

In all competitions, Donnarumma had made 601 saves in 199 matches – including six from penalties – and has an impressive save percentage of 74.06.