Former Real Madrid shot-stopper Iker Casillas has praised Alvaro Arbeloa's tenure and subsequent sending off with the capital club while taking a dig at the Spanish giant he spent a quarter-century with.
Arbeloa, 33, played his final match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday in a 3-2 victory over Valencia, and was given a rousing reception by players and supporters alike.
Unlike Arbeloa, Casillas wasn't afforded a farewell of pomp and circumstance.
Casillas, 34, is one of the capital club's most decorated players. He won the league five times and domestic cup twice paired with a treble of Champions League victories. It's the circumstances surrounding his move to Porto in the summer of 2015, though, that have prompted the dig at Real.
Following an illustrious 25-year career with Los Blancos, Casillas' farewell paled in comparison to Arbeloa's, with the 166-time capped 'keeper saying his emotional goodbyes during a press conference.
"Every player that plays at Real Madrid deserves these kind of goodbyes, with their team-mates, with the fans," Casillas said in a video message on Facebook.
Casillas' comments are the equivalent of a subtle insult veiled by a compliment directed at a former teammate at Madrid and the Spanish national side.
"I'm grateful for everything he has given the team and I wish him all the best ahead of this new chapter in his life.
"Alvaro was a product of the youth academy and had to go elsewhere to prove he had the necessary quality to return and play for Real Madrid."