Marc-Andre ter Stegen Says David De Gea Mistake 'Could Have Happened to Me'

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen says he spoke to David de Gea after his costly mistake in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg and told him it "could have happened to me." 

The Spain international saw a Lionel Messi shot from range squirm through his grasp and into the back of the net to make it 3-0 to Barcelona on aggregate and effectively kill off the tie at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.

"After the game, I told De Gea that we are all humans and that this could have happened to me as well," he told COPE (h/t Metro). "The truth is that it took me a while to celebrate that goal, because he shares the same position as me, and I share his pain. But life will continue."

Barcelona fans mocked De Gea during the match after his error, according to Samuel Marsden at ESPN FC:

Opta noted how De Gea's mistake was not the first he has made this season:

The goalkeeper apologised to his team-mates after the match in the dressing room and was "inconsolable," according to The Sun's Neil Custis.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer defended his goalkeeper after the final whistle, per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News.

"That's unfortunate with goalkeepers," he said. "When you make an error, it can get highlighted, and that'll be remembered tonight. But he made some fantastic saves as well, which all in all, his contribution to the team is good, but sometimes that happens in football."

ESPN FC's Alex Shaw called for United to sell the Spaniard:

De Gea has been at Manchester United since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and has been one of the club's most important players.

He has been named the Manchester United Players' Player of the Year three times and has won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award, voted by supporters, four times.

However, there's no doubt that his form has been below his usual lofty standards this season and errors have crept into his play.

There is also plenty of scrutiny over his future at Old Trafford, as his contract expires at the end of next season and he is yet to agree an extension. 

Manchester United will have a tough decision to make over their goalkeeper if he does not renew soon, and it looks as though the uncertainty over his future is proving to be a distraction.