The 33-year-old replaced Cristiano Ronaldo in the closing stages of Sunday 3-2 victory over Valencia to make his bow at the Bernabeu.
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Arbeloa has featured just nine times this term, and perhaps his most newsworthy contribution this term was his infamous spat with Pique, with the veteran questioning Barca’s performance against Atletico Madrid on Twitter, only to receive a fierce response in reply from the Catalan defender [as per Sport].
Gerard Piqué, a man who has traded barbs with Arbeloa in the past, also had some kind words for him on his departure, saying “if they have given him a send-off like that, it is because he has deserved it”.
‘Sometimes the tone has been a bit too much and we shouldn’t have done it. “I appreciate what he has given to the team and I wish him luck in the new phase of his life that’s opening”.
“Wherever he goes, I wish him well”.
Speaking to XL Semanal, Casillas said, “I had to decide whether I was going to stay and be the figure of ridicule that others enjoyed poking like a voodoo doll, or leave and be able to breathe again”. During his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, he won the UEFA Champions League, the league title in 2011-12, as well as the Copa del Rey on two occasions.
Arbeloa, however, has vowed to continue playing despite being unsure of his next move.
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The Spanish legend also confirmed that there was a lot of tension between himself and former manager, Jose Mourinho. How does a player become a friend? “I have nothing, know nothing, about where I’ll be next year”, Arbeloa told Marca. “By being an example of passion for his profession, of love for his club, of dedication to the group and their aims”.
