Iker Casillas has opened up about his time at Real Madrid over the past two years and claims he was seen as a ‘plague’ within the club.
The Spanish international gave an exclusive interview to journalist Inaki Gabilondo, during which he was particularly candid about his time at the Santiago Bernabeu and admitted he had thought of leaving.
“A few months ago it seemed like I was the plague and I thought about leaving Madrid, but quietly, yet I decided to stay because at 33 I came to the conclusion that I must fight, be reborn, compete.
“It makes you more cautious, humble, to have your feet firmly on the ground. I have been at the club since I was a nine-year-old and have had 15 years in the first team, so I know they are a very demanding public.
“This is my home. You don’t understand what my life would be like without Madrid,” admitted Casillas.
The World Cup winner said he could trace the beginning of his problems back to January 2012 when he injured a hand against Valencia after being accidentally kicked by teammate Alvaro Arbeloa, with whom he says he had ‘disagreements’.
“I was out for two months. I felt isolated and didn’t feel part of things. With Arbeloa we disagreed on the visions of the squad but today things are friendly and polite.
“In the Ludogorets game our relationship was good but it’s not the same away from football, although it’s cordial,” he disclosed.
Casillas also revealed he was hurt by some of the things said at Press conferences by former Madrid boss Jose Mourinho and his assistant Aitor Karanka.
“Mr Karanka said I did not have a high level of competitiveness and in those two months I didn’t feel the backing of [President] Florentino Perez either.
“From that point onwards my relationship with Mourinho also broke down because everyone seemed to be on their side.”
It was also a time when he was accused of being the mole in the Real Madrid dressing room when stories of unrest started to appear in the media.
“I was called a mole and a traitor, which is unfair. I have a close relationship with some journalists because I have known them for many years, but I can distinguish the relationship of friend with that of journalist,” explained Casillas, who said he “did not want to think” it was a smear campaign orchestrated by the Coach or the President.
“I saw a lot of dirt,” he concluded.
