Kaká: "My main problems at Madrid were injuries and Mourinho"
The Brazilian was the special guest on Grande Círculo and answered all of the questions put to him. He described Cristiano Ronaldo as "a really top bloke".
Ricardo Kaká was the special guest on SporTV‘s Grande Círculo programme this weekend. The Brazilian looked back over his career and spoke about his four years at Real Madrid, revealing details about a chat with Carlo Ancelotti after which he realized it was time to move on, his disagreements with José Mourinho and gestures from "great bloke, top man" Cristiano Ronaldo.
Real Madrid: “I was determined to make it a success, something special. I don't know whether I spent more time being too persistent or stubborn - I would like to think I was persistent. I gave what I could, but in the 2013/2014 season, with Ancelotti's arrival, Florentino decided to update the squad with new players and Ancelotti was very clear about it with me: ‘Look, the president has asked me to employ this strategy this year’. To which I replied: ‘Boss, I need to play because I want to be at the World Cup’. So the best option for me was to leave”.
Bit of a let-down
Disappointing signing: “The problem at Madrid was consistency. At the beginning it was because of constant injuries. I had a problem with my hip in the first season. I pushed myself so that I could be at the World Cup but suffered a groin injury. I underwent treatment in Curitiba just before the 2010 World Cup. After the tournament I had surgery on knee and was out for six months. And when I returned I had Mourinho... My main problem at Real Madrid was a lack of consistency - firstly due to injuries and then because of the coach. I spent three years trying to convince Mourinho to give me a chance. But I was powerless and he was the one making decisions. What I tried to do was be a model professional. Now I can go back to Madrid knowing that the doors are always open for me. Florentino said that I was one of the most professional players he's known at the club”.
Mou preferred Ozil
Relationship with Mourinho: “There's no problem between us. I was in Manchester for a publicity event and I stayed at the same hotel where Mourinho was living and we spent two hours chatting. At certain points we had disagreements in Madrid I thought I had to play and he didn't. They were respectful disagreements. I never rebelled or threatened to leave or moaned to the press. I told him: 'It's your decision but I think you have other options because I think I'm able to play. Now it's your choice to decide’. He had no arguments. At that time, the team was doing so well that I didn't either. He told me that I wasn't going to play because Özil was filling my position. I thought I had something to contribute. Özil is a great player and I just said I was available to play. Mourinho is exactly like what you see on television. He can be explosive, but he's a very intelligent man. What people see in press conferences is all planned and prepared - he knows exactly what he's going to say. My problem with him was all about team selection. I thought he was in the wrong. But the team worked. We won the league and reached the Champions League semi-final”.
Thoughtful and generous Cristiano
Cristiano 'the salt of the earth': “He's a one-off, he really is. On a day-to-day level, he is a really great guy - really attentive to everyone. In the dressing room, we all knew what he's like - we'd make jokes about how vain he can be but underneath it all, he is a top bloke. We were getting ready to do the pre-season in Los Angeles and before we left he ordered 15 mobile phones which he gave out to club employees. He always helped me a lot and encouraged me in the interviews he gave. My team mates could see the effort I was making to play. I never had any problems with him. Over the whole of my career I've never had any problems with any of my team mates".
