Luis Figo: “I played in Barcelona and my safety wasn’t guaranteed”

One of the most infamous transfers in Barcelona and Real Madrid history is that of Luis Figo. The Portuguese winger was one of the best players of his generation and left Barcelona, in the peak of his career, to join Florentino Perez and the new Galactico project at Real Madrid. Few can forget the inferno that Figo faced when he returned to the Camp Nou in the 2000-2001 season, with the infamous pig head, long being the symbol of the chaos.

In an interview given prior to a wheelchair soccer charity match, Figo revealed his shock and disappointment at the decision to change the date of the fixture from October to December.

“I played in Barcelona and my safety wasn’t guaranteed,” he explained to reporters.

“I don’t see why the game couldn’t be played, nowadays if you have to guaranteed security then you just do it. Changing the date of such an important match gives strength to these people, they love to be heard, but football isn’t political,” he concluded.

Regardless of the potential threats, it looks like the game will go forward and be played on December 18th. Given that the match is now on a weekday, the political pressures have lessened (albeit slightly), and no controversial transfer has occurred - it’s unlikely that Madrid will face quite the environment that Figo endured.