10 Players Who Probably Regret Joining Real Madrid
2. Antonio Cassano
What is it about Italian mavericks? Cut from the same cloth as Balotelli, Antonio Cassanos early-career antics put his efforts to shame. Debauchery, feuds and on-pitch tantrums the Romans colourful career was blighted by a series of misdemeanours, holding back his undoubted talent. Having fallen afoul of talisman and emblem of his native hometown Francesco Totti, there was only going to be one survivor.
The man who once boasted to have bedded over 600 women by the age of 25 might have thought he had landed on his feet, when Real Madrid came knocking in 2006. Alas, once he took his first steps into the pressure cooker of the famous Santiago Bernabeu, his troubles were magnified ten-fold.
Never the most consummate professional, he was subject to a humiliating ordeal whereby the club was forced to fine him for every gram that he remained over his required playing weight. No stranger to dressing-room bust-ups, Cassano found himself on the receiving end of a suspension following a heated ordeal with Fabio Capello, after his omission from the team. Suddenly, Cassano found himself back-peddling, indicating his willingness to bury the hatchet with Totti, and rejoin his beloved Roma as soon as possible.
Cassano ill-fated tenure was cut short, as he was loaned to Sampdoria at the end of the season, with Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon citing his attitude as unsustainable. Inevitably, after 19 games, and two measly goals, Cassano never played for the Spanish giants again.
''Ive played for great clubs, but always done little. Ive only done 50% of what I could have done, Ive always found a way to not train in a professional manner. Cassano, 2013.