STUTTGART, Germany — Gianluigi Donnarumma made a critical save that propelled Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) into the Champions League playoffs, showcasing his importance to the team despite facing criticism throughout the season. The Italian goalkeeper shone brightly on Wednesday as PSG secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Stuttgart.

The match saw PSG take an early lead with a goal from Bradley Barcola, which was complemented by a remarkable hat trick from Ousmane Dembélé. However, it was Donnarumma’s diving save in the 16th minute that truly changed the dynamics of the game. At that point, PSG was leading by a single goal, and his stop thwarted Stuttgart’s hopes of equalizing.

Midfielder Chris Führich was poised to level the score when he unleashed a well-placed shot from the right side of the box. But Donnarumma’s top-notch reflexes made it possible for him to parry the ball away with great force. This pivotal moment triggered a rapid counterattack, which Dembélé capped off, extending PSG’s lead just a minute later.

Dembélé continued his stellar performance, scoring his second goal in the 35th minute and completing his hat trick in the 54th. Barcola had originally put PSG ahead in the sixth minute, setting an impressive pace for the match.

After halftime, Donnarumma remained alert as Stuttgart attempted to climb back into the contest. He demonstrated his skills again in the 49th minute by expertly tipping a dangerous cross away from the goal. However, he was left helpless when a defensive mix-up led to an own goal by his teammate, Pacho.

There had been concerns earlier in the season about Donnarumma’s place in coach Luis Enrique’s starting lineup. A particularly low point came when he was benched in a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, which raised questions about his future with PSG due to a series of mistakes.

Nonetheless, the goalkeeper has turned his form around since suffering an injury in mid-December during a league match against Monaco, where he notably left the field with a bloodied face after a clash with an opponent.

Earlier this month, he played a key role in maintaining PSG’s undefeated streak in the French league, making significant saves during a gritty 2-1 victory over Lens. This latest win marked PSG’s third straight victory in the Champions League group stage, putting them back in contention for playoffs following a challenging start to the campaign, which included three losses. Last week, they mounted an impressive comeback against Manchester City, overcoming a 2-0 deficit to win 4-2.