“It wasn’t a sporting or financial decision” - Marco Asensio opens up on Real Madrid exit

Marco Asensio has opened up on his Real Madrid departure, acknowledging that the time had come for him to leave the capital club. Currently at Fenerbahçe, Asensio spent eight trophy-laden years at Los Blancos before joining Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in 2023.

Speaking to Marca, the Spanish forward dismissed the notion that he rued the decision to leave Real Madrid, insisting that his exit decision was ‘personal’ rather than a sporting or financial one.

“No, I don't regret it because in my last year I won the title I was missing, the Copa del Rey,” he said. “You have to know when to leave a place. I felt immense affection from the fans, from Florentino, from the coach... But I felt it was the right time. It wasn't a sporting or financial decision, but a personal one. I wanted to set new goals because I needed a change in my life, in my career... Real Madrid will always be my home because I've been a Madridista since I was little, but I felt it was time to try something new.”

During his time at Real Madrid, Asensio was renowned for his versatility and impact in big matches. He also built a reputation as a lethal substitute, often coming off the bench to score important, game-sealing goals.

To date, he is the all-time top-scoring substitute in the UEFA Champions League with 10 goals, surpassing names like Thomas Muller, Karim Benzema, and Ole Gunner Solksjaer, who all have seven goals as substitutes in the competition.

“I had a beautiful, intimate moment” – Marco Asensio relishes farewell at Real Madrid

In the same interview, Asensio spoke about his final moments at Real Madrid, revealing that he had a ‘wonderful moment alone’ with club president Florentino Perez. The Spaniard confirmed his departure from Santiago Bernabeu on June 3, 2023, before Los Blancos confirmed his exit in a statement on their official website.

On his farewell, he added:

“Speaking now about the farewell, Florentino and I had a beautiful, intimate moment. It was a beautiful farewell at the stadium, but before the match, I had a wonderful moment alone with Florentino, and I remember it very fondly. Just the two of us, in a room, in a very private moment, talking about life, about how the transfer had gone, about our families... It was incredible.”

With Madrid, Asensio won 17 trophies, including three consecutive Champions League titles and three LaLiga trophies.