Real Madrid President Expresses Regret Over Iker Casillas' Departure

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has expressed regret over Iker Casillas' departure from the club.

© AFP

Madrid: Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has admitted the Spanish club was wrong in dealing with the farewell of veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who signed in July for Portugal's Porto, while he stressed that he was not forcibly dismissed from the club. (End of an Era For Real Madrid as Casillas Leaves Club)

Casillas alone attended a press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu on July 12, in which he read a statement while in tears, and returned the next day to bid farewell to the fans at the pitch, accompanied by Perez.(Casillas Was Not Asked to Leave)

Perez said on Friday: "The dismissal of Casillas was not good, but it was because he wanted to. The mistake is mine and so I called him that afternoon, I spoke with him and delayed his departure for the next day to do it the right way."

"I was in a difficult emotional position, he did not want to do anything, he asked us for one thing and it went wrong. I consider myself guilty. We did what he asked for and on the next day we did what had to be done. I was wrong," Perez added.

Florentino revealed that he tried to host Porto for the Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu match last August to pay tribute to Casillas, but the Portuguese's club commitments prevented them from coming to Madrid.

After Iker's departure and the failure to sign De Gea from Manchester United, it seems that the Costa Rican Keylor Navas will feature as the starter goalkeeper for them this season.