'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABwgQAAEEAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAxESAAQFBiEHAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBREAAgIDAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDEQAEEiFB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDIDP6I7u8Pm857j6BBrDsE1IyIrdSJar9sVolVyssdPz6MNX8ryDKg2KhpKx9WJxjD7CiJE48sm8qaE0sjSdMTQWvmf//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Real Madrid star Antonio Cassano has revealed that he turned down a move to Liverpool when his time at the Santiago Bernabeu came to an end.
The former Italy international joined Los Blancos from AS Roma in January 2006. He won the La Liga title that season, but mustered just four goals and three assists in 29 games across competitions in the entirety of his career at Real Madrid.
He was loaned out to Sampdoria for the 2007-08 season — the club he ultimately joined on a permanent transfer in the summer of 2008. Cassano has revealed that he had the chance to join Liverpool around that time.
However, he rejected a move to Merseyside as he was sold on the idea of returning to his homeland. He said on a social media Q&A session on social media, as quoted by Ita Sports Press:
"When I was leaving Real Madrid, I had an offer from the Premier League. I could have gone to Liverpool. But I wanted to go home.
"However, I thought: ‘If I’m abroad, in the strongest team in the world, what do I do, go to England? Either I go back home, or I stay at Real. But I would have played there very easily."
Cassano continued:
"If I could have played in the Premier League? With a pipe in my mouth. I could have easily played in the Premier. Even players like Coutinho, Zola, Carbone, they were similar players to me, but I do another sport obviously.
"They did well there. Because it’s true that they are physically strong and go a thousand miles an hour, but qualitatively, even if they’ve been going up a lot for 3-4 years, but we’re talking about 15 years ago."
He announced his retirement from football in October 2018 as a 36-year-old.
Real Madrid boss addresses team's fitness levels with Liverpool clash on the horizon
Real Madrid and Liverpool will take on each other in a humongous UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash on 21 February.
But before that, Real Madrid will have to face Osasuna later today (18 February). The game comes just three days after their 4-0 league win against Elche.
Speaking on his team's fitness level, manager Carlo Ancelotti said (h/t Official club website):
"We don't want to take any risks with players who are fatigued. The second day after a match is when that is most noticeable. A lot of our players are tired.
"We have to bear in mind that Benzema is returning from injury and his fatigue levels are different. If the Liverpool game was tomorrow, he wouldn't play."
Karim Benzema has missed two of his team's last three La Liga games due to muscle fatigue.
