Casillas breaks another record

• "It felt like I was making my debut", says Casillas

  
  
  Despite everything he has won with Spain and Real Madrid, Iker Casillas could not hide that he had a knot in his stomach just before his 800th professional appearance: "I felt like I did onmy international debut thirteen years ago. It was like starting all over again," said Spain's captain.

  Those who spend their day-to-day lives with him feel that Casillas has had a tough time of late. He had never found himself in a situation like the one he experienced this season. Firstly, being benched in Malaga, then fracturing his hand at Mestalla and finally, seeing his relationship with Mourinho sour until it was irreconcilable.

  Since he boarded the plane from Spain to Miami on 4th June, the keeper has become reacquainted with feelings he has not felt at his club for a while: the warmth of everyone involved in Spain's international set-up and a coaching team pampering him like never before.

  However, it is the support of his teammates that Iker is most grateful for and at their head, Spain's second captain, Xavi Hernández. Both players' careers have been on such parallel paths since they first coincided in Spain's Under-17 side that Xavi will reach the same landmark as Casillas (800) in his next match: "There is no need to explain what Iker means to this team. His presence here is essential," the Barça man said.