Iker Casillas broke down in tears as he made an emotional departure from Real Madrid ahead of his signature for Porto.
The veteran goalkeeper, who had spent 25 years with Los Blancos after first joining at the age of nine, held a farewell press conference at the Bernabeu on Sunday.
However, the suspicion that Casillas’s exit from his childhood club was less than harmonious was strengthened by the sight of him unaccompanied on the podium, with club president Florentino Perez and other senior club officials conspicuous by their absence.
#UnaVida https://t.co/1OxwVLrL3r
— Iker Casillas (@CasillasWorld) July 12, 2015
Although Casillas’ solitary role on his final day as a Real Madrid player is partially exonerated by the fact that the first team squad was en-route to Australia for their pre-season training camp, another indication of conflict was Casillas refusing to answer any questions, instead only delivering a pre-written statement.
And there was no room for uncertainty in a bitter interview given by his parents to Spanish newspaper El Mundo, containing strong condemnation of Perez and his role in their son’s departure from the club.
“Florentino Perez has given Iker a really hard time,” blasted the player’s mother, Maria del Carmen Fernandez.
“He is largely to blame for Iker leaving Real Madrid. He wanted to retire at the club but Perez never wanted him because he is short – he likes tall goalkeepers.
“Iker has endured a psychological pressure, he has been vilified for five years. It has all been very unfair and taken its toll mentally.”
– #360transfers: Liverpool and Man City agree Sterling deal
– AGL: UAE star Ali Mabkhout targets titles with Al Jazira
– EPL: 2015/16 fixtures and squads interactive infographic
Casillas’s father Jose Luis even accused Perez of engineering the criticism endured by the goalkeeper during much of last season, fuming: “It has been orchestrated by Florentino with the support of several leading journalists.
“If there are whistles from 1,000 guys at the Bernabeu and you ask your friends to up the volume so you can sell, it is not love. It was a campaign of harassment and demolition.”
The player himself, however, was unwilling to spark a war of words as he tearfully read through his farewell announcement, instead focussing on giving thanks to the club for everything he has experienced over the last two and a half decades.
“After 25 years defending the badge of the best team in the world, a difficult day has arrived when I have to say goodbye to the institution that has given me everything,” he said.
“It seems like yesterday when, as a child, I wore the shirt for the first time and my dream came true. During this time I have laughed, cried, won and lost.
#ThankYouIker pic.twitter.com/b0GKULZ8pG
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) July 12, 2015
“This club has formed me as a person and has helped me grow, with values like respect, camaraderie and humility. I have tried to take these qualities with me wherever I’ve been.”
Despite the criticism he received from many fans during his last season at the club, Casillas was also eager to insist that he will always remain a Madrid follower and that he expects to return to the club after his playing retirement.
“I’ll never be able to forget you,” he promised to supporters, “Wherever I go I’ll still be shouting ‘Hala Madrid!’
“I am not going to say goodbye, because this is more of a ‘see you later’. One day we will see each other here again.”
Casillas also had a few words to explain his move to Porto, explaining: “The decision to go there is because of the excitement the whole club has transmitted, and the affection that people have shown me.
“They have won me over and that makes me very happy.”
