“I am old enough to not hide things or come here and say something I don’t believe. I have what I have in the foot, so if we aren’t able to find an improvement or a small solution then it’s becoming super difficult,” he said. But after sparking retirement fears, he clarified to Spain’s RTVE channel that he wasn’t trying to hint at the end of his career.
He explained: “At no time do I want this to seem like a farewell. We will continue working to find solutions to what is happening down with my foot. I trust and hope to be able to return. This last year has been difficult. Day to day, with everything that it entails, has been difficult not just because of all the effort but to stay competitive.
“And I play to be competitive. It’s what makes me really happy. We will keep thinking about the things we need to improve and the desire is to continue.”