Sergio Canales opens up about his difficult years at Real Madrid: ‘I do not regret it’

Sergio Canales opens up about his difficult years at Real Madrid: ‘I do not regret it’ Sergio Canales, the 35-year-old Racing Santander midfielder, has reflected on his career and some of its most difficult moments during an appearance on Cadena SER (via MARCA ). The veteran midfielder spoke about everything from turning down Barcelona at the age of 10 to experiencing some of the toughest years of his career at Real Madrid, who signed him in 2010 when he was 18. Why Canales turned down Barcelona Canales recalled Barcelona’s interest when he was just 10 years old and his visits to La Masia prior to joining Real Madrid in 2010. “I went to La Masia several times to see it. It all started after a Brunete tournament, when I was about 10 or 11, and from there Barça offered me the opportunity. But in the end it worked out well for me,” Canales recalled. “It is not that I did not see it clearly, but I was very young the first time,” he said. Continuing, he added: “I loved it because they introduced me to Riquelme, who was my idol, so it was a top experience. But my parents spoke to me and in the end we decided to stay so that we would not change the situation for the whole family.” Canales is excelling at Racing Santander. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images) “And when you are that young, nobody can guarantee that taking that step will mean you become a professional.” On his stint at Real Madrid A few years laterafter this, Canales joined Real Madrid at the age of 18. Looking back, he does not believe the move was necessarily a mistake. “Did Madrid come too soon for me? Well, too soon… In the end, everything happens for a reason. The career I have had, with so many injuries, has taught me to fight and overcome situations,” he admitted. Canales explained that his original plan was to join Madrid and then spend several years out on loan gaining experience. Canales during his time at Real Madrid. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) “I made the decision because of the circumstances in Santander. My idea was to sign for Madrid and then go out on loan for a few years to gain more experience,” noted Canales. “But I learned a lot, I do not regret anything, and at the end of that year it completely changed my perspective on what it means to be a top-flight player. It gave me a lot of strength to keep going through all the injuries I have had.” The midfielder also highlighted the demands placed on young players at the club, saying: “It forces you to mature a lot as a footballer, but personally it is something else. “A lot is demanded of an 18 or 19-year-old player very quickly, which is normal, but you have just left school and you have had no preparation for learning how to deal with the situations that come your way.”