Casilla's name features on one of the gates at Espanyol's stadium
The goalkeeper made 115 appearances for Espanyol where his name features on one of the gates to the stadium. Real Madrid paid six million euros for him last year.
Espanyol vs Real Madrid live English
Kiko Casilla, immortalized at RCDE Stadium
Kiko Casilla will face his old club for the first time tomorrow. The keeper came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid but was snapped up by Espanyol before he had a chance to gain any first team action. Madrid recovered him two seasons ago for six million euros but the 29-year-old is still fondly remembered by blanquiazul fans up in Barcelona. S much so that one of the gates to RCDE Stadium, Gate 63, bears his name because the club considers him to be one of the 98 best players in Espanyol's history.
In 2007, Casilla signed for Espanyol B and on 20 January 2008 he made his debut for the first team against Valladolid. He made just four appearances that season then went out on loan to Cádiz in the Second Division. He played a key role in helping the team gain promotion and the following season he was farmed out again, this time to Cartagena, where once again he impressed. That presuaded Espanyol to give him an opportunity and little by little he started carving out a niche in the side. For four seasons he was the undisputed first choice in goal for the pericos and earned a call-up at full international level, making his debut against Germany in Vigo on 18 November 2014.
Kiko Casilla left his mark in Cornellà and made the excellent relationship between Espanyol and Real Madrid even more fruitful as his move to the capital helped Burgui and Asensio to move the opposite way on loan.
