Now that he announces his goodbye, Iker Casillas only evokes happy moments in the memory of the fan. And is not for less. ‘El Santo’ has been and is one of those figures that transcends the barriers of sport and reaches the whole world precisely with the halo on. Someone who, regardless of the colors he wears, unites more than separates and who does not sow hatred, even if he wants to, which was never the case.
However, that was about to change when José Mourinho entered the scene. Until then, the goalkeeper was little less than the Real Madrid shield. Another myth like Raúl has just packed and the witness had to pick it up from Móstoles. Hierarchy. But ‘The Special One’ landed and, with the fame that preceded it, it was not long before he made himself known.
First, staggering the foundations of a newly crowned team in South Africa that he divided during the 2011 Classics and then, pointing to the goalkeeper by leaving him on the bench when he was indisputable. So Iker Casillas liked everyone but one person. That was reduced by the coach to a mere technical decision, but many more packages were hidden under the blanket.
Spiral of misfortunes
During that season, 2012-2013, Casillas also had a mishap in the form of an injury to his left hand. Arbeloa, with whom Iker did not establish a great relationship beyond that of companionship, gave him a totally involuntary kick in the middle of January and, with the transfer market open, Real Madrid incorporated Diego López as the starting goalkeeper.
Thereafter, Casillas ostracized more and more months after having led the team towards his historic triplet of the European Championship, World Cup, European Championship. His substitution divided the most critical of the stands who were grouped into two camps: “Mourinhistas” and “Casillistas”. Two terms that hurt Real Madrid. The captain, for his part, opted to duck his head and continue working in vain, since it became customary to see him on the bench every Sunday.
Meanwhile, Madrid fell in all competitions, including the Copa del Rey final against Atlético Madrid and Lewandowski's review in Germany with Dortmund who could not solve an epic night at the Bernabéu.
Faced with so many fires caused by himself, Mourinho did not know how to put them out and left, having burned some hectares of the stands that he never reconciled with Casillas.
In fact, the whistles became a habit and Casillas held on until he realized that one could also be happy away from the Bernabéu. Now he returns because, despite everything, the opponents are already a minority that is not too noisy and, reviewing the record of the goalkeeper, they may see that they were on the wrong side.