Iker Casillas admits he almost quit Real Madrid this summer

The goalkeeper fell out of favour under the Portuguese Coach in January 2013, amidst reports of a bust-up between the pair, while Carlo Ancelotti only started him in cup competitions last season.

However, having successfully reclaimed his first-choice status at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Spain international is intent on seeing out the remainder of his career with his boyhood team.

“Of course I’ve suffered. Sometimes I had to hold back the tears,” he admitted to Cadena Cope.

“You spend a lot of time with the physios and doctors, and you come back to find that everything is upside-down. It all seems bad, and that you're the ugly ducklinh. I felt sad and hurt.

Yes, of course [I considered leaving Madrid]. You try to find solutions. Let’s just say that I had several meetings with the club ... But in the end I opted to stay.

“I told them that I must play or go. The only thing is that if you start the season and you’re not playing, you must understand and respect the Coach decision to choose someone else. I want to play, but I’ve never demanded to play.

“The club have behaved in a very loving way. They have always tried to motivate me during difficult times. I’m not thinking about June, only the next morning.

“At the end of the day, I’ve received so much [from Madrid]. I’m back focused on enjoying my time here, I feel important again and hope to exploit the opportunities I get.

“I’ll be 36 by the time my contract ends in 2017. I need to be realistic. At that age, things must slowly be considered.

“I hope the club tells me that they want me to continue, but I think I should go step by step.

“We’ll see when the times comes. I hope my head and body are still in terrific shape and that the club offer me the chance to continue for one or two more seasons.

“[President Florentino Perez] has always been kind to me and encouraged me to stay positive during my low points. I hope [to end my career here].”

Read the original article on Football Espana - The ultimate website for English-speaking fans of Spanish football