MADRID: Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas is back in training after injury but lacks the necessary sharpness to make the squad for Saturday’s La Liga game at Real Zaragoza, according to assistant coach Aitor Karanka.
2020 vision: A member of the IOC evaluation commission shoots a penalty to Iker Casillas, captain of Real Madrid and Spanish national soccer team, during a visit to Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium March 18 file photo. The commission is in Madrid to evaluate the Spanish capital city’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games. — Reuters photo
The Spain and Real captain has been out with a broken finger since January and also missed the World Cup qualifiers against Finland last Friday and France on Tuesday.
“The medical team passed him fit a week ago but he doesn’t have the competitive edge needed to be 100 per cent for games,” Karanka told a news conference on Friday.
“He is training well and this is good for everyone. When he is 100 per cent he will be cleared to play but because he is a goalkeeper it is tougher.”
Diego Lopez, signed from Sevilla in January as cover for Casillas, has excelled in the 11 games he has played for Real.
In that time the team have qualified for the King’s Cup final and the last eight of the Champions League.
There has been lots of speculation about whether Casillas will be restored to Real’s side when he has recovered, especially bearing in mind the frosty relationship that media reports say exists between him and coach Jose Mourinho.
Real survived the international break unscathed by injuries. — Reuters