It all started off so well for Iker Casillas. The big bad wolf that was Jose Mourinho left Real Madrid and in came Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti himself noted that part of the reason he had got the job at the biggest club in the world was to make peace between the factions in the dressing room and unite the squad once more. This – to most people – meant that Casillas would be back as the number one keeper in no time.
Not only is he adored by the entirety of Spain (even those in Barcelona) he is considered a God at the Santiago Bernabeu. They don’t call him ‘San Iker’ for nothing. Imagine the shock and horror then when Ancelotti decided to start the season with Diego Lopez as his number one.
Marca – predictably – were outraged and got straight on to making sure that their ‘Play Iker’ propaganda campaign was back up and running. Interestingly however, where as last season a pole in Spanish newspaper AS showed that 95% of fans wanted Casillas between the sticks, now only 59% of the same fans agree.
Casillas’ power is on the wane at the club and he knows it – leading to not one but two performances on the bench that would not only teach a disgruntled teenager a thing or two about sulking but could probably win him an Academy Award to boot.
Such was his distress, the club skipper even stormed off down the tunnel before the end of the game against Granada – where Lopez was many people’s pick for man of the match.
Is Casillas right to sulk? Share your thoughts below or tweet us @lafootyettes and remember to #lfo.
11 years ago
Select on form not reputation….. are you reading Joe Hart.