Pepe blasts Real Madrid fans and claims Besiktas fans are better

What's the story?

Kepler Lavern Lima Ferreira played ten years at Real Madrid and won a host of trophies whilst earning himself the tag of being one of the toughest defenders on the planet... you and I know him as Pepe.

This summer, he ended his decade long association with Madrid to make a move to Turkey and the fanatic football lovers of Istanbul, with Besiktas.

In a recent interview with Spanish television network La Sexta, he spoke of how happy he was that he made the move to Istanbul while at the same time blasting the notoriously finicky Madridistas, or Madrid fans - "Besiktas fans are fantastic. At times when playing for Real Madrid, we had to motivate ourselves as the fans were not so passionate. Here at Besiktas, every player heads onto the pitch fully motivated to perform well with the aid of great support".

In case you didn't know

Besiktas have started the Turkish SuprerLig season well and sit pretty atop the standings after four games (for now - Galatasaray are just a point behind with a game in hand) and Pepe has already opened his account for his new club. But it's at the other end that his defensive acumen is coming to the fore - having moved on a free transfer, Besiktas' board would be right to give themselves a pat on the back for this shrewd bit of business.

Pepe had wanted a two- season extension on his contract, but Real Madrid had been prepared to offer the 34-year-old only a one-year extension. This did not go well with the Portuguese star and thus came his decision to follow international teammate Ricardo Quaresma to Turkey.

The heart of the matter

When he had made the move, Pepe had expressed his affection for the club where he spent his prime: "I spent ten marvelous years in Madrid winning both domestic and Champions League titles and my two daughters were born in the Spanish capital too": and while his feelings toward the establishment and the city may not be affected, it appears he has found the fans of his new club more to his liking.

Video

Here's Pepe's first goal for Besiktas:

Not a shabby start, eh?

Author's Take

Besiktas' fans, as with most Istanbul clubs', are famed for not being too shy to show their passion and love for the club they support and that kind of blood and thunder, heart-on-the-sleeve commitment is what Pepe has always embodied.

Quite natural that he connects better with them than the somewhat entitled crowd that can seep into the Bernabeu