Casillas: I Hope Kaka & Ronaldo Will Give Their Best At Madrid

The shot-stopper extraordinaire is hoping that his new team-mates will help the club return to the pinnacle of world football.
Jun 29, 2009 7:44:10 PM

Real Madrid’s home-grown Galactico, Iker Casillas, is looking forward to the new season with anticipation - and rightly so, now that Los Blancos have been strengthened by signing the two most recent Ballon d’Or winners, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Many of the club’s rivals believe that the side could struggle due to the high expectations and the massive squad changes, but Casillas is optimistic that quality will prevail in the end.

“I hope that they [Kaka and Ronaldo] can contribute at the level that they’ve been showing and that they will arrive with a lot of desire to play and win titles for Real Madrid,” he told reporters upon touching down at Barajas Airport after returning from the Confederations Cup in South Africa.

“With players like Kaka, Ronaldo, [Raul] Albiol and the rest of the current squad, we have to do everything possible to end Barcelona’s dominance.”

Casillas was then asked if Valencia striker David Villa would be the next galactic signing for Florentino Perez.

“I do not know what will happen,” he replied. “I hope that everything will turn out well in the end for him and his family.”

KS Leong, Goal.com

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Real Madrid Goalkeeper Iker Casillas Happy To See Spain Bounce Back

Spain captain Iker Casillas was satisfied to see the European champions end their very first Confederations Cup excursion on a winning note, after pipping South Africa 3-2 to clinch third place in the competition.

La Furia Roja had the demoralising task of bouncing back after the disappointing defeat to the United States in the semi-finals, but the Real Madrid shot-stopper was proud that his team-mates managed to return to winning ways.

“It was very important to win again after our setback against the United States,” he told reporters after the game.

“We deserved much more in the semi-finals and losing left a bad taste in our mouths. We didn’t have the luck against the Americans that we had today against South Africa.

“Guiza had two chances and he scored both, while Xabi Alonso also managed to score in his only shot at goal.”

La Furia Roja had entered the World Cup dress rehearsal as favourites to win the competition, and despite securing only third place, Casillas was still pleased with the overall performance.

“On the whole, the Confederations Cup has been a positive experience,” he said.

“Even though we didn’t make the final, the team have shown their quality and we played some great matches and we had chances to score plenty of goals.”

KS Leong, Goal.com

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Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas: I Am Not Anti-Barcelona

‘San Iker’ only had words of praise for his arch nemesis while playing down the idea that there is a strong resentment at the Bernabeu camp…
24 Jun 2009 07:21:13

Real Madrid may be receiving plenty of criticism from Barcelona for their efforts in resurrecting the Galacticos empire, but goalkeeper, Iker Casillas was not about to start a verbal volley with his bitter rivals.

Instead, he has commended the Catalans giants for the way they obtained the grand treble this past campaign, and for their philosophy of nurturing young talent.

“It is clear that Barca play the best football in Europe and at home. They won La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey and I can only congratulate them, as do the hierarchy at Real Madrid,” he said in an interview with Sport.

“There’s certainly healthy envy. Barcelona have always had a footballing model that lasts and they had seven canteranos in the final of the Champions League. Ofcourse that’s a reason to be envious.

“But it is really strange because Barca have so many youth players in the first team while Madrid exports all the players from the cantera. Almost every team in La Liga have a player who started off at Madrid’s youth ranks.”

When he was told that he is one of the more respected Madrid figures around Catalan circles, Casillas replied, “That is good to know. I am glad. The truth is that I am only being myself.

“I am not anti-Barcelona or anti anything. I like football and I’ve won a lot in this sport as a Madridista but if it’s evident that another team is better, I will congratulate them. Nothing else.”

The shot-stopper then went on to shower praise on Blaugrana star, Xavi.

“He is a player who is being recognised for his natural talent,” he explained, “and I have already said many times that he is Barcelona’s most important player, and not just from last year when he got a lot of buzz after Euro 2008.”

Finally, Casillas looked ahead to Spain’s Confederations Cup semi-final clash with the United States, and a possible showdown with Brazil in the final.

“First, it is necessary to beat the US. Only then can we think about watching the two strongest teams at present go head to head: Brazil, the five time world champions and Spain, who are at the top of FIFA’s ranking,” he concluded.

KS Leong, Goal.com

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