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What Manchester United star David de Gea was told after Barcelona Champions League howler
MANCHESTER UNITED goalkeeper David de Gea has been told he must brush off his error in United’s Champions League defeat to Barcelona.
That’s the advice of Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The Red Devils crashed out of Europe at the last-eight stage on Tuesday night with a 3-0 loss at the Nou Camp.
Having entered the second leg trailing 1-0 on aggregate from the first meeting at Old Trafford last week, Manchester United succumbed to the brilliance of Lionel Messi, who scored twice.
Former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho curled in a stunning third as the five-time champions deservedly booked their passage to the semi finals, where they will face Coutinho's ex-employers and United’s Merseyside rivals.
But David de Gea will have been disappointed with the manner of Messi’s second goal as he allowed the Argentine’s tame-looking shot to squirm beneath him.
The Spaniard - widely regarded as the best keeper in the world - has had an unusually error-prone campaign after what was a poor World Cup by his high standards.
But Ter Stegen, another one of the world’s top shot-stoppers, insists De Gea must not allow his latest error in Catalonia to weigh on his conscience.
“After the game I told De Gea that we are all humans and that this could have happened to me as well,” Ter Stegen told Spanish outlet COPE.
The truth is that it took me a while to celebrate that goal
“The truth is that it took me a while to celebrate that goal, because he shares the same position as me, and I share his pain.
“But life will continue.”
Though De Gea’s mistake allowed Messi to virtually end the tie as early as the 20th-minute mark, United were outclassed throughout the entire evening.
Having been subdued in the first leg, Messi was back to his best to spearhead Barca to their first semi-final berth since 2014-15.
And Ter Stegen admitted that the South American maestro’s quality continues to amaze even him despite having been his team-mate for five years.
“Every time we take to the football field, I’m surprised by what he’s capable of doing,” Ter Stegen said.
“Leo can make a difference like nobody else and it’s always better to play with him than against him.”
Barca face Liverpool - last year’s runners up - for the first time in 12 years with the first leg a week on Tuesday (April 30).
United, meanwhile, will hope to use their European disappointments to aid their top-four hopes.
A tricky three-game run starts at Goodison Park as they take on Everton away from home on Sunday (1.30pm).