Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has admitted that his relationship with former Real Madrid and Spain teammate Xabi Alonso suffered during their last years together.
Casillas and Alonso have won trophies including the 2010 World Cup, 2014 Champions League, Euro 2008 and 2012 as well as La Liga and the Copa del Rey as colleagues for club and country, but the pair eventually found themselves in opposing camps towards the end of Jose Mourinho's spell as Madrid coach between 2010 and 2013, which ended on bad terms.
Alonso left for Bayern Munich in summer 2014, and has since said that his current teammate Manuel Neuer was the best goalkeeper he had ever played with "by far."
Asked about these comments on radio show El Partido de los 12 the Spain and Madrid captain said he paid no attention to his former colleague's comments.
"I am not interested in what Xabi Alonso says," Casillas said. "In recent years the relationship has not been right, but it can be like that with anyone. You can get on well or not with teammates. What is asked of us at Madrid is to be a team to win trophies and we have done that."
Casillas' form suffered badly during Mourinho's time at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, and he was second choice for La Liga games during Carlo Ancelotti's first season as Blancos coach.
However this year the now 33-year-old's performances have been much better, and he played a key role in Madrid's record run of 22 straight wins at the end of 2014.
He said he had benefited from finally playing week in, week out, and credited teammate Cristiano Ronaldo with helping provide the motivation needed to keep battling and improving.
"My last 18 months has not been like it had usually been for years back," Casillas admitted. "Logically when you play less, when you have had an injury, you are not day to day in the world of football.
"This year it seems you have this routine and things go well for you. We hope it continues the same to return to be the best. I have a good example in the dressing room. Whenever he can Cristiano always says he battles to be the best, and I believe we can all learn from that."
The radio interview also featured a snap Q&A section, during which Casillas revealed his preference for Ancelotti over Mourinho, his likely international retirement after Euro 2016 and that he had seriously considered leaving Madrid after being dropped from the first team.
Who's the better coach Ancelotti or Mourinho?
"Ancelotti."
Will you retire from La Roja in 2016?
"Probably."
Did you think of leaving Madrid in summer 2013?
"Of course."