Casillas has heart attack at training
Messages of support flooded in for Iker Casillas last night after the former spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper suffered a heart attack while training with Porto.
ex-Real team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the 2014 Champions League with the legendary keeper, posted on social media: ‘a lot of strength my friend. I hope you recover soon.’
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who won the 2010 World Cup with Casillas, posted: ‘With that huge heart, I have no doubts that this will just end up as a scare my brother.’
Chelsea captain Cesar azpilicueta said: ‘I want to wish him a good recovery. It’s tough, the news, but we’ve been told he’s doing well and improving.
‘He was my team-mate in the spain team for quite a few years, so from me and everyone at Chelsea, we want to wish him a good recovery and hope to see him very soon on the pitch.’
Casillas is 38 this month and has just signed a contract at Porto keeping at the club for one more season, with the option of another year.
He complained of chest pains and feeling unwell while training and was taken off on a stretcher to be examined.
He was then taken to CUF Porto hospital, where doctors diagnosed a heart attack.
Casillas was treated for a blocked right artery with a cardiac catheter and kept in last night for observation. In a statement, Porto said Casillas was ‘ out of danger’ and with the ‘heart problem resolved’. Real Madrid, Barcelona, santi Cazorla, gareth Bale and Rafa Nadal were among others who sent messages of support.
Real’s statement read: ‘We want to see our eternal captain recover as soon as possible and send him all the courage in the world.’
Casillas joined Porto in 2015 after 16 seasons with Real. He won five La Liga titles and the Champions League three times in spain.
He will miss the end of Porto’s season, with the defending champions trailing Benfica by two points in the Portuguese league with three games left.
Had the Champions League quarter-finals gone better for Porto, Casillas would have been lining up at the Nou Camp last night.
Porto were beaten by Liverpool with Casillas in goal. Of the ovation he received from the Kop, he said: ‘I am very grateful whenever I come here. They treat me with a lot of respect.’