Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker’s other cross to bear

It has been a tough few months for Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Not only has he suffered professional problems with a hand injury, conflicts with his club and former coach José Mourinho and the loss of his first-team place, he has also had to deal with family tensions resulting from his attempt to remove control of the firm that manages his assets from his parents, it has been revealed.

On January 17, just seven days before he injured his hand, Casillas decided to withdraw the powers his parents, José Luis Casillas and María del Carmen Fernández, had in Ikerca S. L., according to the Madrid Mercantile Registry. Now aged 32, the Spain captain considered that the time had now come for him to assume control of his own business affairs.

Since then, Casillas, who is expecting his first child with TV presenter partner Sara Carbonero, has been negotiating their exit from the company, which has assets of over 13 million euros. At one point the tension was such that Casillas' father did not have access to the complimentary tickets the club hands out to players and had to watch matches as a guest of club president Florentino Pérez in the VIP box.

The matter was finally resolved with Casillas paying his parents a reported 40 percent of the value of the company — around five million euros — and handing over some sizeable property assets.

"Casillas now doesn't have a problem with his parents," said a source close to the goalkeeper. "The matter is settled."