Goalkeeper Donnarumma and partner attacked and robbed in Paris

BBC

Italy and Paris St-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his partner have been attacked and robbed at their home in Paris.

The couple were targeted by several people and tied up at their flat in the eighth district in the centre of of the capital, police sources have told French media.

They are then said to have to escaped to a nearby hotel.

The alarm was raised by hotel staff and the couple were taken to hospital.

"An investigation has been opened on charges of armed robbery in an organised gang and aggravated violence following the events that took place overnight at Mr Donnarumma's place," a spokesperson for Paris prosecutor's office told the BBC.

Unconfirmed reports on the news site Actu17 say the attackers made off with jewellery, watches and luxury leather goods worth as much as €500,000 (£430,000).

The footballer was lightly injured while his partner, model Alessia Elefante, was unharmed, sources told Agence France Presse.

In a statement, his agent said Gianluigi Donnarumma, 24, and his partner "are in shock at what happened but doing well under the terrible circumstances. Both are assisting the police with their enquiries".

The prosecutor's office said France's special BRB police unit targeting armed robbery and burglaries had begun an investigation.

The goalkeeper moved to Paris two years ago and was due to join the Paris St-Germain squad later on Friday ahead of the club's first pre-season friendly match against Le Havre and a tour of Japan and South Korea.

He is not the the first PSG footballer to have been targeted by gangs, but most previous attacks have taken place while the victim is not at home.

Last January, two men were given jail terms for a robbery in March 2021 at the home of Brazil footballer Marquinhos in Yvelines to the west of Paris.

Marquinhos was playing at the time of the incident but his father was in the house along with his two teenage daughters. The father was hit in the face and ribs but was otherwise unhurt.

The home of Marquinhos's team-mate Angel Di Maria was burgled on the same day. Other players have been burgled in the past while playing for PSG, including Thiago Silva, Dani Alves and Eric Choupo-Moting.

High-profile footballers have also been targeted by gangs in the UK and the Netherlands.

Last year PSV footballer PSV striker Eran Zahavi was attacked in his home in Amsterdam and his wife and children were tied up. Months later his house was broken into again.

England's Raheem Sterling had to leave the World Cup in Qatar last December when his home in Surrey was burgled. He had already been targeted by burglars when he lived in Cheshire in 2018.