Real Madrid pay moving tribute to club legend Casillas after heart attack scare
Real Madrid's players and fans took a moment before Sunday's 3-2 Spanish league win over Villarreal to send messages of support to former star goalkeeper Iker Casillas as he recovers from a heart attack.
Players posed for a team photo wearing T-shirts that said in Spanish “Iker, we are all with you,” while spectators at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium chanted his name and unfurled a huge banner saying “Madrid fans are with you. Stay strong, eternal captain.”
The 37-year-old Casillas fell ill while training for his club, FC Porto, on Wednesday and remains hospitalized after undergoing a catheterization. Porto's doctors said the former Spain goalkeeper is expected to fully recover, but it is too early to know if he can keep playing professionally.
Casillas was a fan favorite during his 16 seasons with Madrid, where he won three Champions League and five Spanish league trophies. Casillas also helped Spain to win the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships. He joined Portuguese club Porto in 2015.
Real Madrid club legend Casillas suffered a heart attack last week in a training session for FC Porto. /VCG Photo
Barcelona clinched the league title last week. With Madrid in a distant third place, all the talk in the Spanish capital is what the club will do in the offseason to shake up its squad.
Zidane left stars Gareth Bale and Luka Modric off his squad for the match.
“You can interpret it any way you want, but I have to pick a squad (for the game), nothing more,” Zidane said afterward. “I am not going to talk about the next season of anyone.”
Little used striker Mariano Díaz and defender Jesús Vallejo responded to their rare starts Sunday by scoring. Díaz struck twice, while Vallejo got his first goal for the club. Gerard Moreno and Juame Costa scored for Villarreal.
Getafe fourth
Getafe are trying to join Madrid, second-place Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in the Champions League next season.
The modest club moved back ahead of Sevilla into fourth place and the final spot for Europe's top club competition after beating relegation-threatened Girona 2-0 at home.
Getafe players celebrate their vital victory over Girona at the Alfonso Perez stadium in Getafe on May 5, 2019. /VCG Photo
Jorge Molina continued his excellent season at age 37 by scoring his 14th league goal before Ángel Rodríguez put the result beyond doubt.
Rayo and Huesca became the first teams to be relegated from the top tier.
Rayo were left seven points from safety with two matches remaining – after Valladolid beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0.
Huesca are also down after it was routed 6-2 by Valencia, leaving it eight points from safety.