Tuesday evening was not a good one for David De Gea.
The goalkeeper made an absolute howler. An easily saveable Lionel Messi shot was in his grasp, and then through his grasp it went, under his body and into the waiting goal behind.
Barcelona fans didn’t know whether to laugh or cheer. Manchester United fans didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
For the footballer it couldn’t have really happened on a worse stage, in a worse place. There have been many doubts sent his way when playing for the national team, and whilst some, maybe much, of the criticism has been over the top, he’s simply not consistently at his best for the national team.
He hasn’t wowed them the way he has Manchester United fans, so when there is a mistake with Spain, or even the possibility of one, he gets both barrels.
The match was at the Camp Nou, and De Gea won’t be well loved by many Barcelona supporters. He wanted to sign for Real Madrid in the past, almost did, and that will be enough.
El Confidencial report that at the beginning of the second half, the 28 year old ‘had to endure a series of chants’ from a section of the home crowd.
These included “How bad you are, De Gea, how bad you are”, “De Gea, let another in” and shouts about the Spanish national team.
Spain’s next internationals are in June, the Manchester United player probably can’t wait.
