Valencia defender Ezequiel Garay has revealed his decision to leave Real Madrid in 2011 was the 'best decision' he made in his career.
The Argentinian failed to impress then manager Jose Mourinho and chose to move to Benfica, where he enjoyed a hugely successful three-year spell. Garay won a number of domestic honours over that time, before he chose to move on to Russian outfit Zenit St. Petersburg.
He chose to return to La Liga with Valencia in the summer, but toldEl Desmarquethat he decision to leave the country's capital in the first place was the right call.
Garay said:"I respect Real Madrid as an institution.But I still say that the best decision of my career was getting out of the club, because a footballer likes to play and I did not [at Madrid].
"I do not regret leaving there as the three years I spent at Benfica after leaving Real were spectacular.At Benfica I had my best years as a player. I was very happy and I won important things.
🎂 Hoy es el cumpleaños de uno de nuestros defensas... ¡Muchas felicidades @Garay_24 ! #Garay30 🎉 pic.twitter.com/RIMM6nrLWp
"We played two finals followed by the Europa League [final] and got places that the club had never been."
Garay, now 30, has also been linked to moves to the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea in the past, though he has never decided on making a move to the Premier League.
Valencia have however, endured a rotten start to the new season, losing five of their first seven La Liga matches.
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