Iker Casillas seeks compensation for heart attack, reveals disabilities | OneFootball

Iker Casillas returned to Porto this Monday to appear at the Porto Labour Court, where he gave testimony in the case in which he is claiming €3.7 million from insurer Fidelidade and FC Porto.

At issue is the acute myocardial infarction suffered by the former goalkeeper in May 2019, when he was playing for the Dragons. Since he was training at Olival at the time, Casillas is demanding the payment of substantial compensation.

In essence, the former Spain international argues that he was left with work-related limitations and, for that reason, moved forward with these proceedings, which began in October 2021. According to newspaper Público, the insurer and FC Porto argue that there is no proof that the physical exertion during training was the direct cause of the health problem.

This Monday, the former goalkeeper again recalled the days leading up to the heart attack, saying they were “normal”, and described the day of the dramatic episode. Casillas said he arrived at Olival for another training session after dropping his children off at school. He then said he had breakfast before doing gym work. Only later, at around 11 a.m., did he feel a “strong pressure in his chest” and was forced to lie down.

After tense moments, Casillas received assistance from doctor Nelson Puga and was eventually taken to CUF Hospital.

Slow recovery and lasting disabilities

In court, Iker Casillas insisted that the myocardial infarction completely changed his life. First of all, the former player explained that after the episode he spent several days in absolute rest and only later began walking.

After stating that it was only “after seven months” that he felt physically well, Casillas says he is able to go to the gym and play padel, but that he cannot run.

Even so, he still takes part in Real Madrid legends matches, for example, which is why he was questioned by the insurer on that point. Casillas downplayed that involvement and said they were friendly matches with no professional intensity.

It should also be noted that during the court session, the insurer defended itself by suggesting that the Spaniard engaged in excesses in his private life, namely through alcohol consumption and late-night outings throughout his sporting career.

This is not the first time Fidelidade has accused Casillas of bad habits, given that one of its defence arguments is the fact that the Spaniard had cholesterol above the maximum limits. It was last year that the insurer pointed to some inconsistencies in Casillas’s account, as highlighted by Público.

It should be remembered that, a few months later, Iker Casillas decided to bring his career to an end.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.