As David de Gea continues to endure a painful campaign with Fiorentina, Italian media have been scrutinising the former Manchester United star's team
David de Gea speaking in a Fiorentina press conference
David de Gea has been nothing but honest about his side this season(Image: YouTube/Fiorentina Official)
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Former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has been identified as one of the few positives in Fiorentina's faltering campaign.
Last season, the Spaniard signed for the Italian side after spending a whole year as a free agent. He impressed the Serie A side with his performances so much, he was handed a new three-year deal at the Artemio Franci Stadium.
The ex-Red Devils shot-stopper is continuing to impress, but has not been able to stop La Viola from sinking to the bottom of Serie A. As the two-time Italian champions stare relegation in the eye, Manchester Evening News have a look at what's going on with De Gea's club.
The Premier League winner has kept two clean sheets in 10 league matches, but the attackers on the pitch have not been able to play their part. As a result, Stefano Pioli's side, along with Verona, are one of only two teams to have not recorded a single league victory.
They suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Lecce in their most recent match. Quotidiano Sportivo praised De Gea's display, also stating he was not at fault when "disaster struck" and Medon Berisha scored for the away side. Nevertheless, he has been showing his leadership by speaking to the press when the club has lost.
After a 3-0 loss to Inter Milan, he spoke with Firenze e Dintorni where he even said he was happy at the club. He said: "As soon as I arrived at Fiorentina, I immediately felt at ease. Viola Park is incredible and played a role in my final decision.
"With the staff, teammates, and staff, I feel like I'm part of a big family. I'm happy in Florence and the Florentine atmosphere. The fans are special.
David de Gea goalkeeper of ACF Fiorentina shows his dejection during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and US Lecce at Artemio Franchi on November 2, 2025 in Florence, Italy
David de Gea has become somewhat of a mouthpiece for Fiorentina
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"It's one of those places everyone would love to visit, and I'm lucky enough to live there. It's small, but it's beautiful to live there, and the food is special. All these aspects contributed to my decision to stay, with the desire to bring home a trophy."
The only positive in Fiorentina's campaign has been in the Conference League, where they have won both matches and scored five. When asked to compare their club form and Europe, he dealt his team-mates a stern dose of reality.
He said: "The level of these two teams we faced in the Conference is lower than in Serie A. We played well in the Conference, but in the league we're not the same because it's tougher, we play against strong teams.
David De Gea of ACF Fiorentina in action during the Serie A match between AC Milan and ACF Fiorentina at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Milan, Italy
De Gea's performances have been one of the few positives for La Viola
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"We're struggling a lot and you can feel it in the locker room too: the only solution is to work and fight game after game. Certainly no one expected this start to the season.
"We haven't won yet, and we're struggling. The team isn't performing well, but we have to stay positive. We need to believe more among ourselves.
"We have to believe more than anyone else, raising the bar and winning games. Serie A is tough, but that's football: we have to stay united with the fans, it's very hard for them too, but we have to follow the same path."