De Gea relishes his memorable return to Old Trafford with Fiorentina by playing ‘A game I’ll never forget’.
When Manchester United defeated Fiorentina in their final preseason friendly, Altay Bayindir’s save of the penalty was a perfect moment.
After all, David de Gea made his comeback to Old Trafford on this day.
Two summers have passed since De Gea was abruptly fired by United after 545 games, which ranked him eighth on the team’s all-time record. Erik ten Hag, the manager at the time, chose to pay Inter Milan £47.2 million for Andre Onana.
De Gea claimed that at the moment, he was unsure if he should include football at all. He didn’t, but there is still disagreement over whether his departure was wise.
Many people wonder if Onana was worthwhile.
By that point, De Gea had left, to be replaced prior to the final whistle. An Old Trafford crowd of more than 60,000 gave him a standing ovation, mirroring the applause he received when he came out for the warm-up and again at the beginning of the game.
It was the opportunity to bid farewell that he had not been given in 2023.
“It’s a game I’ll never forget, for sure,” said the 34-year-old.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to describe with words how you feel on the pitch, seeing the crowd, with everybody there. It was so emotional for me.”