De Gea rolling back the years as Fiorentina mount unlikely title challenge

MILAN (AP) — Few people put Fiorentina among the Serie A title contenders this season, and fewer thought veteran goalkeeper David De Gea could be on course for another trophy after a year away from soccer.

But Fiorentina is a point off the top spot, and much of the credit is going to De Gea, the 34-year-old who is "making saves like a boy who's 20."

De Gea is the best-performing keeper in the Italian league and, again, had a crucial part to play on Sunday at Como where, with his team 1-0 up, he pulled off an extraordinary triple save in the second half. Fiorentina went on to win 2-0.

Como coach Cesc Fabregas — who played with De Gea for Spain — was astounded, calling it the "kind of save we haven't seen for years."

That victory put Fiorentina on top of the league, briefly.

In a tight Serie A table, Fiorentina is level on points with Atalanta, Inter Milan and Lazio and all four teams are just a point behind Napoli.

Fiorentina hasn't won a trophy in more than 23 years — the 2001 Italian Cup — and last lifted the Serie A crown in 1969. But that could be about to change.

"There is a unity and a knowledge that you attack and defend together. Something marvellous has been created," Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino said.

"We have Beltran who chases down midfielders, we have (Riccardo) Sottil who, when he comes off the bench, makes the difference. We have De Gea who's making saves like a boy who's 20. We have to continue like this."

De Gea is certainly exceeding expectations after joining Fiorentina in September. The Spaniard did not play last season after leaving Manchester United as a free agent in 2023 following a 12-year spell at the English Premier League club.

De Gea's Fiorentina debut ended in a 3-2 loss at Atalanta but he has kept five clean sheets (and allowed just four more goals) in nine league appearances since then, better than any other Serie A goalkeeper in the same period.

Some of those appearances have been seriously impressive: Against AC Milan, De Gea saved two penalties; at Genoa — like at Como — he proved decisive; and against Hellas Verona he even added an assist.

That reportedly has Fiorentina ready to activate a clause in De Gea's contract, extending his original one-season deal by another year and doubling his wages.

"He's the best performing goalkeeper and has contributed to the results of his team and that's why he could be the strongest in Serie A, where there are a lot of good goalkeepers," said former keeper Marco Amelia, who was part of Italy's World Cup-winning squad in 2006.

"If a goalkeeper with his experience has those kind of performances on the field, it carries everyone to have great performances. He's doing a fantastic job."

De Gea has helped Fiorentina to a seven-match winning streak in Serie A for only the second time in its history. The other time was in February to April 1960 when it achieved eight in a row.

However, eight will be a tough task for this Fiorentina to equal this weekend, as it plays defending champion Inter Milan on Sunday.

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