Man United news: Casemiro slams the new generation in football - 'The problem is the statistics'

Departing Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has named Gareth Bale arsenic the astir implicit subordinate helium shared a dressing country with during his clip astatine Real Madrid, and utilized a wide-ranging interrogation to onslaught modern football's obsession with statistics.

The 34-year-old sat down with erstwhile United brag defender Ferdinand for the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast up of his exit from Old Trafford astatine the extremity of the season.

'Take Cristiano retired of the conversation'

When Ferdinand pressed Casemiro connected the finest subordinate helium had played alongside, the Brazilian delivered a wide verdict.

"Cristiano is the best, helium is from different world. Let's instrumentality Cristiano retired of the conversation," Casemiro said. "For me, Gareth Bale is the best, the astir complete. He attacks, helium defends, helium scores headers — truthful quick, strong, everything. He is unbelievable."

Casemiro elaborated connected the distinction: "Cristiano scores a minimum 15 goals each season, but Bale is attack, defend, heads, scores. Cristiano is the best, helium is successful different world. But for me, Bale is the astir implicit player." 

Casemiro besides offered an penetration into however Ronaldo prepared for matches, recounting the Portuguese's pre-match ritual of declaring helium could "smell goals" and targeting a minimum of 50 goals astatine the commencement of each season. He praised Karim Benzema's selfless relation successful the BBC trio, noting that the Frenchman would driblet heavy to make abstraction for Bale and Ronaldo to tally into.

Critique of the caller procreation and praise of Bruno Fernandes

Casemiro utilized the interrogation to present a pointed critique of modern shot and its fixation with passing percentages — utilizing the accidental to heap praise connected United skipper Bruno Fernandes.

"The caller generation, they are astir statistics. You decorativeness the game, and helium has 97% walk accuracy. What passes? Just passing backmost and antagonistic passes. Bruno plays guardant each time, and each clip helium kills the other team. 'You springiness maine space? I termination you, I termination you, I termination you.' I emotion this, due to the fact that sometimes you suffer 2 oregon 3 balls, but you look successful the beforehand each the time. For me, I emotion Bruno," helium said.