DAVID DE GEA conceded his 38th penalty in a row before missing his own spot-kick in Manchester United’s dramatic loss to Villarreal
The goalkeeper, 30, suffered Europa League final heartbreak after he stepped up to take the 22nd kick in the incredible showpiece shootout.
But while he would not have been expected to be required to find the net with his strike, the Spaniard failed to keep out ANY of Villarreal’s 11 penalties, including goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli’s, in a dramatic shootout finale.
That extended the £375,000-a-week star’s miserable unwanted record between the sticks for spot-kicks to 38 without a single save for club and country.
Incredibly, the last time De Gea did keep one out was more than five years ago – the 11th penalty save of his career.
He denied then-Everton striker Romelu Lukaku’s attempt in the FA Cup semi-final on April 23, 2016.
De Gea’s 38 penalties faced without a save
1 Sep 18, 2016: vs Watford, Prem – Deeney
2 Oct 6, 2016: vs Italy, World Cup qual – De Rossi
3 Dec 4, 2016: vs Everton, Prem – Baines
4 Jan 15, 2017: vs Liverpool, Prem – Milner
5 Jan 26, 2017: vs Hull City, League Cup – Huddlestone
6 Mar 4, 2017: vs Bournemouth, Prem – King
7 Nov 28, 2017: vs Watford, Prem – Deeney
8 May 19, 2018: vs Chelsea, FA Cup – Hazard
9 June 15, 2018: vs Portugal, World Cup – Ronaldo
10 July 1, 2018: vs Russia, World Cup – Simolov
11 July 1, 2018: vs Russia, World Cup – Ignashevich
12 July 1, 2018: vs Russia, World Cup – Golovin
13 July 1, 2018: Russia, World Cup – Cheryshev
14 Aug 19, 2018: vs Brighton, Prem – Gross
15 Oct 28, 2018: vs Everton, Prem – Sigurdsson
16 Dec 8, 2018: vs Fulham, Prem – Kamara
17 Dec 22, 2018: vs Cardiff, Prem – Camarasa
18 Mar 10, 2019: vs Arsenal, Prem – Aubameyang
19 May 12, 2019: vs Cardiff, Prem – Mendez-Laing
20 Dec 22, 2019: vs Watford, Prem – Deeney
21 July 4, 2020: vs Bournemouth, Prem – King
22 July 22, 2020: vsWest Ham, Prem – Antonio
23 Sep 19, 2020: vs C Palace, Prem – Zaha
24 Sep 26, 2020: vs Brighton, Prem – Maupay
25 Oct 4, 2020: vs Tottenham, Prem – Kane
26 Nov 1, 2020: vs Arsenal, Prem – Aubameyang
27 Apr 29, 2021: vs Roma, Europa – Pellegrini
28 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – G Moreno
29 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Raba
30 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Alcacer
31 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – A Moreno
32 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Parejo
33 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Gomez
34 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Albiol
35 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Coquelin
36 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Mario
37 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Tortres
38 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Rulli
Since then, Lukaku has signed for United for £75m, left for Inter for £73m, won the Serie A title and been linked with a return to the Premier League.
Interestingly, in that same time period, Dean Henderson – left on the bench tonight – has eight penalty saves, six of those in senior football.
Three of those came with Shrewsbury in 2017-18, two on loan at Sheffield United including to deny Gabriel Jesus last year, and one in the Europa League earlier this season for United.
The other two were with England Under-21s at the Euros in 2019, both against France.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer threw on Juan Mata and Alex Telles in the final moments of extra-time and they duly dispatched their penalties.
But he opted against a Tim Krul-esque switch of goalkeeper for a penalty-saving specialist.
The crushing defeat means United’s wait for a trophy will stretch into a fifth year.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
