Atletico's Saul Niguez talks about being bullied at Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid player Saul Niguez has remembered his time spent at Real Madrid’s academy as he looks ahead to this weekend’s Madrid derby at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

In an interview with ‘El Mundo’, Saul explains the problems he had as an 11-year-old at Madrid. 

After leaving Elche for Madrid, he experienced some tough months in the Spanish capital before eventually signing for Atletico as a 12-year-old. 

“During that year with Madrid I learned many things, I matured a lot. It was a difficult year, because many non-sporting things were happening,” he said.

“They robbed my boots, food (…) They stopped me from going to Valdebebas for two weeks for things I’d not done. They passed a letter to the manager saying I had written it. I said I’d not done it because I really had not done it.”

When asked who had done it - if it was team-mates, or team-mates' parents - Saul shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't know. 

Despite that, on a sporting level he does have some good memories: “With Pepe Fernandez, my first manager, I have a friendly relationship. He helped me in my weakest moments.”