Casemiro's Real Madrid goodbye shows he'll bring something Ronaldo craves
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 22 Aug 2022 12:10 BST
- 3 min read
As Real Madrid said goodbye to Manchester United-bound midfielder Casemiro on Monday, it was amply evident just how much of an impact the Brazil international has had on the Spanish club and will have for Cristiano Ronaldo & Co. at Old Trafford.
He arrived from Sao Paulo in 2013 and has left nine years later having won five Champions League titles.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and head coach Carlo Ancelotti were in tears at a special ceremony organised in the player's honour. So too was the midfielder, whose hardly reputation was shattered by his reaction to leaving his long-term employers.
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It has been a perfect match over that period, as was underlined by Perez, who said: “Casemiro is one of our most special and important players in the last decade, I will never forget your performances. You've become one of our most important players, today is a very special and sad day for Real Madrid.
“You are joining a legendary club in Manchester United, I wish you the best.”
Carlo Ancelotti… 💔 pic.twitter.com/ycOQDapG3u
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) August 22, 2022
Casemiro may be an unfashionable player in terms of his position and role, which does not make him conducive to winning headlines for match-deciding moments, but earning such praise from a legendary club speaks volumes of what Madrid stand to lose – and what Man Utd will gain.
This is a player who has the respect of, not only the Real Madrid locker room, but also the leaders of the club. He has shown himself to be an impeccable team player over nearly a decade of service.
Ronaldo will love Casemiro transfer
Meanwhile, at Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo must be delighted with this addition. The Portuguese has been left disappointed with the standards in the dressing room that have been allowed to slip, both in terms of professionalism and also on-field performance.
FootballTransfers regards Casemiro as the best holding midfielder in the world, while Real Madrid’s goodbye shows that he has the type of elite attitude that Ronaldo believes has been lacking at Old Trafford.
Casemiro is not a silver bullet to clearing up Man Utd’s problems – but he’s a good start.
