- The goalkeeper, happy to return home, wishes Atlético the best but treats the event as just another game.
“Now I feel like I’m from Manchester,” said the Spanish international David de Gea , who will face this Wednesday the team in which he was trained and from which he came to English football, Atlético de Madrid , in the first leg of the round of 16 Champions League final.
After a decade at the Old Trafford club, for which he signed in June 2011, the Madrid goalkeeper referred to his absolute integration and identification with Manchester and the club in an interview on the UEFA site.
” I like the fact that I was born in Madrid, but at the end of the day it’s just a city. Now I feel like I’m from Manchester ; I feel like any other person from Manchester. Where you are loved and welcome is your home,” he said. De Gaia.
“Of course, I’m going back home, I’m going back to the club that gave me the opportunity to be who I am today. But this is just another game,” said the United goalkeeper, who assured that he has been at the club for many years and although “obviously everything can happen in life, in the world of football” is not seen outside Old Trafford.
Before the confrontation against his former team, he said that “obviously” he wishes Atlético the best, but that he goes with his team with the clear objective of trying to win the game.
De Gea recalled the stage at Atlético when he was the third goalkeeper after Sergio Asenjo and Roberto , whose unfortunate injury opened the doors for him to “show that he was good enough”.
“When Quique (Sánchez Flores ) arrived, the team changed. We won game after game, and there was a moment when Asenjo and I were available and he chose me. I played almost every game. We reached the UEFA Europa League final and we won it. We also reached the Copa del Rey final. We lost, but at least we reached the final. And then we won the UEFA Super Cup against that great Inter,” he recalled.
Regarding the technical aspect and his qualities, De Gea considered that “what a goalkeeper has to do is prevent goals from coming in, that’s the most important thing. And then, if you have the talent or the quality to be able to play with your feet and having good vision, it’s phenomenal.
” I feel very comfortable playing with my feet , playing from behind, following the direction of my team, but it depends on the coach and the style of play,” said the Spanish goalkeeper.