It has been a disappointing season for Real Madrid, with several of their players failing to step up and perform at the level expected.
One such player who has failed to deliver this term is Eduardo Camavinga. Hampered by fitness problems and inconsistent form, the Frenchman has largely failed to convince in a season in which he was tipped to take the next step in his growth.
Perhaps the biggest disappointing moment of his season came in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, when he was sent off in the second leg at the Allianz Arena with the tie in the balance, effectively sealing Real Madrid’s fate.
Camavinga opens up
Now, in an interview with Canal+ (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Camavinga opened up on the moment against Bayern Munich and how it left him deeply affected.
“It was an incident that affected me. I wasn’t expecting it at all. It’s part of a footballer’s career, but after that I completely switched off. We’re better off without social media; it was the right thing to do,” explained Camavinga.
Camavinga reflected on how quickly perception can change in football, saying: “Football is unforgiving; you forget ten good matches because of an incident like that.”
Camavinga’s sending off vs Bayern Munich. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
The 23-year-old Frenchman also revealed the strong support he received from inside the dressing room and the club during these difficult days.
“The dressing room supported me; they told me it wasn’t my fault, that it was a refereeing error. I took it as my own mistake, but the very next day, the club sent me messages telling me it wasn’t my fault,” revealed Camavinga.
One of the most meaningful gestures came from Kylian Mbappe, revealed Camavinga, as he described how his compatriot stood by him during that period.
“It affected him too. He’d come to see me in the morning and give me a big hug. He wasn’t in the habit of hugging people, although in France we always hug each other. We’d see each other in the morning and give each other a hug,” he explained.
Continuing, he added: “But that was a hug where you could tell he understood what was going on, that he felt for me. I think it got to him.
“When he arrived in the morning, he’d always say to me: ‘Are you OK?’ And I’d reply: ‘Yes, we’re getting by.’ That’s what I always said: ‘We’re getting by, we’re getting by.’”
