Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is convinced that superstar keeper Iker Casillas will remain with the club.
"This team has some very important players that represent this club," Ancelotti said, according to Sportal. "For this reason we will do our all so that Casillas finishes his career at Real."
Casillas has had a tumultuous year with his club and has struggled to assert himself as the starting keeper. He lost the job last year under Jose Mourinho and many thought that he would recover his spot under new coach Carlo Ancelotti. Unfortunately, he has struggled to gain the top spot and his playtime has been limited heavily. He has appeared in the Champions League and Copa Del Rey, but has yet to make a single start in the Spanish League; Diego Lopez has been the preferred option there.
Casillas has hinted that he may be looking for more playing time, but he has yet to figure in any major transfers this month as the birth of his son has altered his priorities.
Casillas' spot with the Spanish National team is currently in jeopardy as his lack of competitive matches has not enabled him to maintain a consistent form; Victor Valdes, his main rival for the starting spot, is the starter for Barcelona and has played extremely well in that role. At this point, Valdes is the favorite to start for Spain in Brazil this summer.
Ancelotti pointed to keeping Casillas around with the club in the same manner that Xabi Alonso decided to stick around.
"He's important to us for his quality, experience and how he plays," he added. "There's nobody else around at his level. You can compare him with Pirlo, but Andrea is 35 years old.
"Xabi is younger and everybody at Real loves him. He's a great signing, but I don't like a team depending on one player - not Xabi, nor anybody."
Xabi is a veteran that could help train the likes of Asier Illaramendi. However, Madrid's talent pool at goal is not as deep and Casillas and Lopez are currently the top keepers. Casillas' best years should be ahead of him, but his lack of playing time could mean that his career has come to a standstill.
Should Casillas leave Real Madrid?
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