Florentino Perez has denied any malicious intent in earlier comments on Iker Casillas and has expressed Real Madrid’s pride in the goalkeeper.
The President was quoted as telling club members ahead of this weekend’s general assembly that the 32-year-old wasn’t helped by his girlfriend’s public comments on the state of the Madrid dressing room during the final months of Jose Mourinho’s tenure as Coach.
“Casillas has my appreciation and my support,” Perez reflected on La Sexta this Friday.
“What I said at the time is that sometimes those around us do not help. But that is to everyone. I said it in favour of Casillas, not against.
“We all feel very proud of Casillas, he is the best goalkeeper in the history of Spain. Everyone in life goes through situations that are better or worse, but you have to keep working.”
Perez also commented on the pride felt in signing Ronaldo to a new deal.
“It is a luxury to have Cristiano here. He is one of those players who appears from century to century and we are lucky to have him on our team.
“But it is also important in our project to have foreign players like Bale, the best Spanish players like Isco and Illarramendi and also players from our youth development.”
One foreign player no longer in the project is Mesut Ozil, after his late summer exit to Arsenal.
“Ozil left because he wanted to. He expressed his desire to leave, we were told he would have an offer and it was so.
“We spoke to the coaching staff and they said it was fine. There are other players who have not wanted to leave and they are here.
“If a player is under contract and does not want to leave, he is not leaving. [Angel] di Maria is a good example and we are delighted that he is here.”