Fiorentina players praise ‘monstrous’ De Gea for Conference League heroics | OneFootball

Rolando Mandragora thanked the ‘monstrous’ David De Gea for his heroics towards the end of Fiorentina’s 2-1 victory away against Celje in the Conference League quarter-final first leg on Thursday night, after a number of vital interventions from the former Manchester United stopper.

Fiorentina were put through the paces in Slovenia on Thursday night in a game that was not quite as straightforward as some had expected. Luca Ranieri and Rolando Mandragora provided a 2-0 lead before Logan Deluarier-Chaubet halved the deficit from the penalty spot.

You can see how it unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Mandragora heaps praise on ‘monstrous’ De Gea

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Raffaele Palladino, Head Coach of Fiorentina, speaks with David De Gea of Fiorentina during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 05, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Fiorentina had their backs to the wall right until the very end against Celje, who were desperate to find an equaliser ahead of the return leg in Tuscany next week.

De Gea had already come up with a series of important saves across the 90, but was there when his teammates needed him with arguably the biggest save of the game in what proved to be the last touch before the final whistle.

“We’re happy, winning in Europe is never easy. We had a bit of difficulty towards the end, but David gave us a massive hand,” Mandragora told Sky Sport Italia after full-time.

Asked if the Fiorentina players are becoming used to the meteoric standards that De Gea sets between the sticks, he replied: “We don’t get used to it. We see monstrous things in training that he also replicates in the games. He’s a stratospheric goalkeeper, and we’re delighted to have him with us.”