As hard as David De Gea is working
to make sure Manchester United qualify for the Champions League, Iker
Casillas’s continued presence in the Real Madrid goal could hasten the holder’s
exit from the competition.
Whether or not De Gea ends up back
in Madrid or not this summer one thing is for certain, Real need a new
goalkeeper and will be lucky to get anywhere close to the final this year with
Casillas between the sticks.
Should De Gea move to Santiago
Bernabeu then Manchester United fans would be entitled to hold Casillas
directly responsible.
The veteran’s form in the Champions
League last 16 second leg against Schalke was a new low for the man for whom
the bar drops further by the week. There were all kinds of mistakes in that 4-3
defeat.
It has reached the stage that Carlo
Ancelotti is effectively sabotaging his own team’s chances in order to keep
some semblance of confidence invested in what was one of the great modern
goalkeepers. Those days are finished.
Casillas not only drops the ball and
allows it to squirm through his body; he no longer sends any message of
assurance to the rest of his team. The Real Madrid defence appear desperate to
prevent any type of shot hitting his goal.
Contrast that to the confidence
instilled in Manchester United by De Gea. He is currently making logic-defying
saves game after game as United attempt to earn a spot in the
Champions League.
If they do reach it then no one man
will have played a larger part than De Gea. Only he will not likely be around
to see it.
