Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas has admitted in an interview with FIFA.com that he cried after being benched by former Los Blancos boss Jose Mourinho.
The now Chelsea manager decided to drop the World Cup-winner in favour of Diego Lopez for the entire second half of last season – even when he had fully recovered from a hand injury.
Mourinho decided to humiliate Casillas even further on the last day of the campaign when he left him out of the squad altogether even though Lopez was injured, preferring to name two inexperienced keepers in the squad.
And in one of his last interviews as boss at the Santiago Bernabeu, Mourinho said his only regret in his three-year stint was not signing Lopez in his first year.
Speaking to the world governing body ahead of the Confederations Cup semi-final clash between Spain and Italy, Casillas admitted he was hurt by the treatment he received.
He stated: “By thinking of the team and wanting what’s best for Real Madrid. I cried, suffered, felt bad and had nights where I slept little, if at all. I’m a Madridista through and through, and before everyone else – coaches, presidents, directors of football, even myself – the club always comes first.”
But he added he is now happy again now that he is playing football once more.
“Yes, I really have got my happiness back. It’s always difficult when you find yourself in a situation you’ve never experienced before. It hasn’t been easy, but now I’ve turned the corner, I’m a different Iker Casillas,” said the stopper.
