Ste McGovern
The Spanish goalkeeper revealed why he left Real Madrid for Elland Road this month.
Warming the bench at one of the two biggest clubs in Spain sounds like a pretty great job if you enjoy picking up a nice pay cheque for your trouble while enjoying the near-constant sunshine.
But for Kiko Casilla it wasn’t enough, and after four years, 43 appearances and three Champions League winners medals, the Catalonian goalkeeper wanted to push himself in a new environment.
“I wanted to leave my comfort zone and feel the pressure of playing again. I saw this as a great opportunity,” Casilla told MARCA.
Casilla added that working under a coach like Marcelo Bielsa was “appealing” and part of the reason why he came to Leeds United.
“I think that working with a coach like Bielsa appeals to many players, his style and mentality.
“In Spain, he is already known. He works hard, he gets the most out of each player, he squeezes them. He works in training knowing what the opponent is going to do.
“I’ve only had two training sessions so far, but he knows what he’s doing and he has a team who are progressing.”