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Figo: I didn't want Barca exit

04 Mar 2009 - 07:48:54

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Veteran Internazionale midfielder Luis Figo has revealed that he didn't want to leave Barcelona in 2000.

The 36-year-old former Portugal international was transferred from the Camp Nou to Real Madrid in a controversial switch that made him vilified in Catalonia.

He accepts now that he made a mistake, telling El Pais: "I didn't lie when I said that I wanted to stay with Barcelona. I wanted to remain there and the president also knew that.

"My only mistake back then was to say in an interview that I would not go.

"I could not change the opinion of the people because I could not compete with the press and the president. Out of 80,000 people, only 5,000 would believe me.

"I take responsibility for it. It is normal that if I go to Barcelona, people will hate me. But when I retire I will visit Barcelona again. They may not ask me for autographs, but I will return.

"I continue to have a lot of respect for the fans, I have a Catalan daughter and I knew my partner there.

"It is an important place and I am proud to have played there. They were five good years of my life."