Iker Casillas has moved to quash rumours he is looking to
leave Real Madrid, insisting he has no plans to
quit the club he joined as a boy.
The Spain captain has failed to regain his place from Diego Lopez in Jose Mourinho's first-team ever since suffering a hand injury in January, leading many to speculate that he could seek to end his 22-year affiliation with the Liga giants.
However, the 31-year-old has stressed that he has not entertained the idea of seeking a move away from the capital club.
"My future is at Real Madrid. I have a contract with the club and I've been here since I was nine years old. It's been my club for my whole life and it's where I want to be," he was quoted as saying by AS.
Mourinho's future remains far less certain but Casillas says he knows nothing of his boss' situation and is focusing on winning the Copa del Rey.
"You have to ask him about that," he said when pressed on whether or not Mourinho will stay. "I'm here to collect an individual award and what I'm interested in is giving the Madrid fans something to cheer about.
"Given that this year it wasn't to be in the Champions League, it'll be in the competition we have left: the Copa del Rey.
"What we have to do now is focus on the immediate future: on getting as many points as possible in La Liga for the sake of the club, the team and everything we stand for.
"Then we have to give our all to win the final of the Copa del Rey. It'll be an exceptional final, a game to look forward to, at the Bernabeu; we have to try to win for the supporters, who deserve something to cheer about."
Madrid suffered a 4-3 aggregate defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final, with Liga rivals Barcelona humbled 7-0 over two legs by Bayern Munich, and Casillas vowed to return strongly next season as his side aim for an historic 10th European crown.
"I haven't spoken to them [the Barcelona players]," he continued. "It was clear that after losing 4-0 in Munich the second leg was going to be difficult.
"We have to congratulate both Bayern and Borussia Dortmund because they performed well in their ties and they deserved to go through.
"I went up to all my team-mates [after the Dortmund match] because they had put in a huge effort and the supporters acknowledged that. Sergio [Ramos], Cristiano [Ronaldo], Diego Lopez, everyone.
"I applaud them all because they were in with a shout of winning the tie right up until the final whistle. I hugged Sergio because we've known each other for nine years and I think he put in a ten-out-of-ten performance.
"I think we all spoke about it [an all-Spanish final], didn't we? The press too, everyone talked about the possibility of an all-Spanish final. It happened last year as well.
"In the end it wasn't to be and the Spanish teams - us included - will all fight to get to the final next year. We'll give our all to win Madrid's tenth European Cup next season. That's what everyone involved with the club wants."
The Spain captain has failed to regain his place from Diego Lopez in Jose Mourinho's first-team ever since suffering a hand injury in January, leading many to speculate that he could seek to end his 22-year affiliation with the Liga giants.
However, the 31-year-old has stressed that he has not entertained the idea of seeking a move away from the capital club.
"My future is at Real Madrid. I have a contract with the club and I've been here since I was nine years old. It's been my club for my whole life and it's where I want to be," he was quoted as saying by AS.
Mourinho's future remains far less certain but Casillas says he knows nothing of his boss' situation and is focusing on winning the Copa del Rey.
"You have to ask him about that," he said when pressed on whether or not Mourinho will stay. "I'm here to collect an individual award and what I'm interested in is giving the Madrid fans something to cheer about.
"Given that this year it wasn't to be in the Champions League, it'll be in the competition we have left: the Copa del Rey.
"What we have to do now is focus on the immediate future: on getting as many points as possible in La Liga for the sake of the club, the team and everything we stand for.
"Then we have to give our all to win the final of the Copa del Rey. It'll be an exceptional final, a game to look forward to, at the Bernabeu; we have to try to win for the supporters, who deserve something to cheer about."
Madrid suffered a 4-3 aggregate defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final, with Liga rivals Barcelona humbled 7-0 over two legs by Bayern Munich, and Casillas vowed to return strongly next season as his side aim for an historic 10th European crown.
"I haven't spoken to them [the Barcelona players]," he continued. "It was clear that after losing 4-0 in Munich the second leg was going to be difficult.
"We have to congratulate both Bayern and Borussia Dortmund because they performed well in their ties and they deserved to go through.
"I went up to all my team-mates [after the Dortmund match] because they had put in a huge effort and the supporters acknowledged that. Sergio [Ramos], Cristiano [Ronaldo], Diego Lopez, everyone.
"I applaud them all because they were in with a shout of winning the tie right up until the final whistle. I hugged Sergio because we've known each other for nine years and I think he put in a ten-out-of-ten performance.
"I think we all spoke about it [an all-Spanish final], didn't we? The press too, everyone talked about the possibility of an all-Spanish final. It happened last year as well.
"In the end it wasn't to be and the Spanish teams - us included - will all fight to get to the final next year. We'll give our all to win Madrid's tenth European Cup next season. That's what everyone involved with the club wants."
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