Luis Figo opens up on his controversial move to Real Madrid
Luis Figo admits he feared being attacked by ‘some madman’ after his controversial move from Barcelona to Real Madrid saw fans throw pig’s head at him and burn an effigy of the former Ballon d’Or winner… as he admits the saga ‘took its toll’ on him
- Luis Figo has opened up on a controversial move from Barcelona to Real Madrid
- Figo made the surprising switch for a world record fee of £44million in 2000
- The winger said he feared a ‘madman’ would attack him after furore from fans
- He admitted the switch ‘took its toll’ after a pig’s head was thrown at him
Portuguese superstar Luis Figo has admitted his controversial switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid ‘took its toll’ on him after fury from fans left him fearing for his security.
Figo made the surprising transfer from the Catalan giants to their bitter rivals Real in July 2000, in what was at the time a world record transfer fee of £52million, which sparked the rivalry to become even more fierce.
His transfer to Los Blancos not only added fuel to the fire with regard to the rivalry between the clubs, but also put Real Madrid on the map once again.
The Portuguese superstar has opened up about his controversial move between the rivals – admitting the switch ‘took its toll’ on him
Luis Figo made a surprising transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid for £52million in 2000
The signing signalled the beginning of Los Blancos president Florentino Perez’s intent by signing a player dubbed as one of the best in the world from a rival by meeting his release clause at Barca before then signing other global superstars.
But Figo said that discontent from Barcelona fans shortly after his move left him feeling worried he would be attacked by ‘some madman’ as he discussed the mental side of being in the spotlight.
Figo was booed every time he lined up for Real against his former side, as Barca fans made their hate toward the Portugal international clear, some fans even burning portraits of the winger in the crowd.
‘These days, there’s more protection,’ he told the Guardian. It felt like I was doing a press conference every day. That takes its toll.
Figo (pictured) admitted that he had ‘everything at Barcelona’ before making the switch
The Portugal international won the Ballon d’Or in 2000 and became the focus of the El Clasico
‘We were starting to tour, a new idea, there was the rivalry, the pressure, the price.
‘The hatred too. Not everyone likes God, how is everyone going to like me?
‘My only concern was if something happened physically, some madman. But go and play football? Nah! In football there’s no reason to be scared.’
The 47-year-old won the Ballon d’Or in 2000 and became the focus of the Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry.
The former Portugal star was kept off corners when he returned to Barcelona for the first time, but the same could not be said for 12 months down the line.
Figo was booed every time he faced his former club and his portrait was even burnt by fans
Butchered pig’s head was chucked onto the pitch towards Figo when he was taking a corner
Figo found out just how deep-seated that hatred was when a butchered pig’s head was chucked on to the pitch while he was taking a corner for Real Madrid during the match.
The game was stopped for 16 minutes by referee Medina Cantalejo, with lighters, bottles and cans having also been aimed at Figo.
The ex-winger, who also played for Inter Milan, said he was content at Barcelona and would have stayed had a huge club like Madrid not come along – as he insisted he transfer was ‘not a cock-up’.
‘I had everything in Barcelona, but you think: It’s not like I’m going to a second-rate club,’ Figo told ‘If it hadn’t been Madrid, maybe I wouldn’t have gone. It’s a challenge, a decision based on feeling valued, convincing me I was going to be an extremely important piece. It could have been a cagada, a cock-up, but it wasn’t, thank God.’
The two sides are set to meet will re-kindle that rivalry on Sunday afternoon at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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