Angel Di Maria has claimed Real Madrid asked him not to play in the World Cup final and says he would have ignored it if he was passed fit.
Di Maria in the end missed the match against Germany but he was willing to go against the wishes of his club if the Argentina camp had given him the go-ahead to play.
“There was a letter that arrived at 11. I was getting treatment to try to play in the final and I knew if I played I had a 90% chance of getting hurt,” AS reports Di Maria as saying on Radio America.
“When I got the letter I ripped it up. I didn’t speak to anyone from the club. I didn’t care. Eventually [Alejandro] Sabella made the decision and it was for the best.”
Di Maria in the same interview gave insight into his relationship with Florentino Perez and his view of events that led to his move from Madrid to Manchester United.
He added that he never had a problem with Carlo Ancelotti or Gareth Bale, and that he received words of encouragement from Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas shortly before he quit the club.
“Casillas and Ramos told me they hadn’t heard an ovation so great as I got against Atletico Madrid,” Di Maria revealed, citing his substitute appearance in the Supercopa de Espana.
“The people were with me to the death. These things happen, sometimes you have to go elsewhere.
“[Ancelotti] benched me when everyone was killing me. I appreciate that. I was put in another position when they bought Bale but I have nothing against him. We have a good relationship.”
