Casillas situation worry for Del Bosque
22 Aug 2013 5:01 AM IST
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque will watch for Carlo Ancelotti’s next Real Madrid starting XI with greater interest than usual after the Italian opened the La Liga campaign with Iker Casillas on the bench.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper, long-standing captain for both club and country, saw Diego Lopez surprisingly chosen ahead of him at home to Real Betis on Sunday, Ancelotti’s competitive debut at the helm.
Casillas was dropped and then suffered a bone fracture in his hand which kept him sidelined for a number of weeks under Jose Mourinho last season. When he returned from injury, January transfer window signing Diego Lopez remained first choice.
The fragmentation of support for Mourinho among the players, the fans and the media in his final months at Bernabeu were in a large part put down to the decision to keep Casillas on the bench. Some felt it was personal rather than professional.
The arrival of the genial Ancelotti has seen an easing of those tensions in and around the club, and many expected Casillas to be restored to the number one jersey for the new campaign.
‘I took this decision for Tuesday. It’s a decision taken on small details. I made it for this game. We’ll see what happens in the next one. I spoke to Casillas, he is very professional and he is keen to play,’ ’ Ancelotti said after Real’s 2-1 win over Betis.
Casillas has been undisputed first-choice keeper for club and country for more than a decade. He has won two European Cups and five La Liga titles with Real and captained the national team to their trio of consecutive Euro titles in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper, long-standing captain for both club and country, saw Diego Lopez surprisingly chosen ahead of him at home to Real Betis on Sunday, Ancelotti’s competitive debut at the helm.
Casillas was dropped and then suffered a bone fracture in his hand which kept him sidelined for a number of weeks under Jose Mourinho last season. When he returned from injury, January transfer window signing Diego Lopez remained first choice.
The fragmentation of support for Mourinho among the players, the fans and the media in his final months at Bernabeu were in a large part put down to the decision to keep Casillas on the bench. Some felt it was personal rather than professional.
The arrival of the genial Ancelotti has seen an easing of those tensions in and around the club, and many expected Casillas to be restored to the number one jersey for the new campaign.
‘I took this decision for Tuesday. It’s a decision taken on small details. I made it for this game. We’ll see what happens in the next one. I spoke to Casillas, he is very professional and he is keen to play,’ ’ Ancelotti said after Real’s 2-1 win over Betis.
Casillas has been undisputed first-choice keeper for club and country for more than a decade. He has won two European Cups and five La Liga titles with Real and captained the national team to their trio of consecutive Euro titles in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010.
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