Denis Cheryshev admits Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey expulsion last season was partly his fault. “I took my share of the blame and shouldn’t have played.”
Cheryshev’s appearance in Madrid’s 3-1 win against Cadiz last December was swiftly greeted with chants of ‘thank you, Denis’, in reference to the winger’s one-match Copa ban from his loan spell at Villarreal the campaign before, as he was eventually taken off at half-time.
“[Villarreal] are a great club. I was right to come here as they stayed in the back of my mind when I left,” the returning Yellow Submarine winger told Cuatro.
“I found it hard to assume the role of almost never playing. [Zinedine] Zidane, after Rafa Benitez, told me he counted on me, but it was best to leave.
“[On the Copa debacle], I didn’t know what was happening. I was playing and didn’t understand the chants. The punishment was fair.
“I took my share of the blame and shouldn’t have played.”