A Bitter-Sweet Reunion

For 7 years, the 1.96m tall, thoroughly Madridista keeper plied his trade for his beloved club in the shadows of the great Iker Casillas.

Having started in the lowly Real Madrid "C", an extension of the senior club in the lower leagues, Diego Lopez faced a difficult task in making it to the first XI. Great players from the Real Madrid academy like Juan Mata and Samuel Eto’o never did cut it either, so why would he?

But he fought on, because he truly loves his darling Madrid.

After being shipped off on loan to lowly Alcorcon, he finally took a step up to the "B" team in 2003, and by 2006, he had cut it into the first team. Finally. After so many years of hard work, he’d get his chance!

Unfortunately, football is a cruel mistress; Iker Casillas was imperious, famous and well-liked at the club. Diego Lopez was just a kid from the reserves. Therefore, despite his heart’s desires, he signed for Villarreal to save his stagnating career. After 171 appearances in which he shipped 50 goals, Diego Lopez was signed by Sevilla FC in 2012. Villarreal had been relegated after 12 years in La Liga.

His career seemed to be destined to end his days playing for a team other than the one that nurtured him.

But the Special One had something else in mind!

After rowing with club icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Iker Casillas, Jose Mourinho reportedly advised the pair to worry about performing on the pitch instead of meddling in managerial affairs. Cristiano Ronaldo duly delivered (as he always does), but Iker Casillas’ form dipped. And to compound his predicament, he was injured.

Suddenly, a call from Jose Mourinho found Diego Lopez sitting sheepishly at the stadium he had left so many years ago, once again professing his love for the 10-time Champions League winners. Except this time, he was ready.

Somehow, the mature Madridista completely outshone every goalkeeper in the planet bar Neuer with his incredible performances. A one-man wall at times, he became Jose Mourinho’s favourite player (in a squad including Marcelo, Ronaldo, Ramos and Di Maria). Casillas was completely benched.

Diego Lopez led his side’s unsuccessful title charge, but he was an inspirational figure in goal. So much so that when Jose Mourinho returned to his spiritual abode at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2013, incoming manager Carlo Ancelotti kept Diego Lopez in goal. Iker Casillas might have thought that Mourinho’s departure would remove the personal problems stopping him from playing, but as anyone could see - Lopez was the better keeper.

Once again, Lopez led Madrid’s title charge, but Ancelotti’s hand was forced and he gave the error-prone Casillas cup matches. Unfortunately for Lopez, Real Madrid won those, and he has now been shipped off to AC Milan after the acquisition of the fabulous Keylor Navas from Costa Rica.

His dream might have ended on a sour note, but his open letter, clearly thanking Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, shows what winning that tenth European cup meant to the boy from Madrid.

Whatever happens, he will always be the keeper that returned and pushed his darling team to La Decima. And he’ll rightfully be remembered as a world-class keeper.