SUMMARY
- Casemiro, a top midfielder, moved from Real Madrid to Manchester United for $88 million in 2022
- Casemiro congratulated Real Madrid on their UCL quarterfinal win against Manchester City.
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has congratulated his former club Real Madrid after they qualified for the UCL semifinals. Casemiro, who’s widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his time, left Real Madrid in 2022 and joined Manchester United for $88 million. However, the Brazilian hasn’t lost any love for his former teammates.
In a recent interview with the Spanish news outlet El Chiringuito, Casemiro talked about Real Madrid. Casemiro congratulated his former team for beating Manchester City in what was a nerve-racking UCL quarterfinal tie. He said, “Of course I was happy! For Real Madrid, there are my friends there, and for Manchester United too.” Casemiro further admitted that he got nervous while watching the game, as most soccer fans did.
🇧🇷 Casemiro: “I suffered watching Real Madrid against City, I’m a big Real fan!”.
“Of course I was happy! For Real Madrid, there are my friends there, and for Manchester United too”, he told @elchiringuitotv. pic.twitter.com/f47xMs9SI8
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 19, 2024
The Brazilian international confessed, “I suffered watching Real Madrid against City, I’m a big Real fan!“. While Casemiro’s former club continues to achieve success, he hasn’t had the same luck at his current club, Manchester United. With Manchester United currently languishing in seventh position in the Premier League table, Casemiro’s team needs to secure a top-four finish to qualify for Europe’s premier competition next season.
Local rivals Arsenal and West Ham knocked out = bad news for Tottenham. 🙃
With 4/5 English clubs eliminated in Europe this week, the Premier League is set to miss out on a fifth Champions League spot. pic.twitter.com/NVFsIekyeC
— 90min (@90min_Football) April 19, 2024
There were hopes of the Premier League getting five spots next season for the Champions League that could have hugely benefitted United. However, with Arsenal, City, Liverpool, and West Ham being knocked out of Europe in the last couple of days, United’s UCL ambitions have been dealt a huge blow.
Casemiro opens up about his emotional moment before joining Manchester United
Meanwhile, Casemiro also talked about how he left Real Madrid for Manchester United a couple of years ago in a recent interview. Casemiro’s transfer decision came as a surprise to most fans. The Brazilian midfielder had extended his Real Madrid contract a year prior to his departure. Moreover, his transfer announcement just weeks after winning the 2022 Champions League with Real Madrid came as a shock.
❗️ Casemiro: “When everything was done with Man United, I entered Ancelotti’s office… he started crying”.
“He told me: ‘Case, I don’t know… I just want you to know that I love you! I didn’t want you to leave”.
“It was the only moment where I doubted leaving Real Madrid”. pic.twitter.com/teCw4uBzRo
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 19, 2024
In the interview, the 32-year-old revealed his interaction with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. Casemiro stunningly disclosed that upon meeting Ancelotti after his transfer to United was finalized, the veteran soccer coach started crying. Casemiro recalled, “He (Ancelotti) told me: ‘Case, I don’t know… I just want you to know that I love you! I didn’t want you to leave“. It was also the only time, Casemiro admitted, that he had second thoughts about leaving the club.
Casemiro’s stats at Real Madrid
Casemiro nine years of his career at Real Madrid, including the first year when he played for the club’s B team and the second year when he was loaned out to the Portuguese club Porto. Despite initially struggling to break into the club’s first team, Casemiro went on to mark an incredible era at the club alongside midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
One of the backbones of the success achieved by Real Madrid between 2013 to 2022, Casemiro won a multitude of titles before his eventual departure. He won three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey title, and three Spanish Super Cups. He has won five Champions League titles and was part of the historic three-peat when Real Madrid won three consecutive Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018.
He has also won three UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups. In his nine years at the Spanish capital, Casemiro marked 76 appearances for the club’s B team and 336 appearances for the senior team. In the 336 appearances, he scored 31 goals and also provided 29 assists. Lastly, he picked up 91 yellow cards and was sent off twice during his nine-year stay at the club (via Transfermarkt).