Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has spoken of how the club must beat the top teams in Europe if it is to be successful.
The Spanish keeper has said that the team must overcome any side that they face, regardless of their reputation.
De Gea, who celebrated his 32nd birthday earlier this week, was talking to ManUtd.com and was asked his thoughts on United’s Europa league draw.
“We know Barcelona is a great team, I think they are playing well,” De Gea told the club’s official website.
“If you want to win the Europa League, you have to play against the best teams and Barcelona is [one of these].
“It’s one for the fans and we will try our best to win both games”, added the 45 times-capped Spaniard.
After a shaky start to the season, conceding seven goals in United’s first three games, De Gea then saw Manchester City put six past him at Old Trafford in October.
But De Gea has been in fine form of late, pulling off a string of important saves in most matches and letting in just two goals in five games before the weekend’s defeat at Aston Villa.
The importance of these displays hasn’t been lost on his teammates either, with some of his defenders calling him out for praise in recent weeks.
And all this has happened whilst having to concede that he is now Spain’s fourth choice goalkeeper at best.
But with the Barcelona dropping out of the Champions League, United will relish the opportunity of overturning the La Liga giants and have plenty of time to prepare.
With the Red Devils set to face the Catalan side in a two-legged play off in February, a chance to return to his homeland and a glamour tie at Camp Nou will surely have United’s back-in-form shot stopper licking his lips in anticipation.
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