Marcelo Opens Up on Juventus Rumours After Admitting Dressing Room 'Sadness'

Marcelo has claimed that he has no idea where rumours of a possible move from Real Madrid to Juventus came from, but admitted that he 'followed' the Italian giants when Pavel Nedved played for them. 

The Real full-back, who has had a troubled season so far at the Bernabeu, insisted that he has had no negotiations to follow his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to the Allianz Stadium. 

“We’re talking about a formidable team," he said, according to Esporte Interativo. "I remember following them a lot when [Pavel] Nedved played. I also swapped shirts with him.

“Having said that, I’m still a Real Madrid player and I have a contract in force. I don’t know where the rumours have come from. I’d say if there was an agreement or negotiations had taken place.”

The Brazilian's noncommittal denial, leaving the door open for a departure if Juve were to make a move in the summer, may raise eyebrows at the club, as might his comments on his relationship with dressing room neighbour Gareth Bale. 

He admitted to being sad when his friend Ronaldo left the club, adding: "I had a very good relationship with Cristiano, his family and his girlfriend. I played 9 years with him and it's normal to be sad.

"[I was also sad] with [the departure of] Kiko Casilla, who was sitting next to me [in the dressing room]," he continued. "Every day I was saying, 'How are you Kiko, how are you doing?' and now I have no one next to me.

"On the other side I have Bale, but Bale does not speak [Spanish] as he only speaks English and we talk with gestures and I say, 'Hi, hello and good wine.'"

Bale's lack of integration into Spanish life has been used as a rod to beat the Welshman with when his performances dip or in one of his frequent injury absences, but his teammates have rarely expressed frustration publicly.