Real Madrid’s Mariano Justifies Decision to Run Down Contract With Facial Injury

• Mariano Diaz is set to leave Real Madrid after 10 years
• The striker played just 84 games for Real Madrid's senior team
• Mariano joins the list of departing forwards that includes Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard

Departing Real Madrid forward, Mariano Diaz released a farewell video to fans of Los Blancos.

In the video, Mariano defended his choice to run down his contract with Real Madrid, referring to his time at Madrid as 'a dream' – an opinion that has surely raised eyebrows amongst Real Madrid fans.

In the video produced by Relevo, the forward said:

"I know that some of my decisions have not been well understood and surely one day I will be able to explain myself," Mariano says in the video.

"I've broken my face playing for this team.

"But not now, now is the time to look ahead and start a stage with all the ambition in the world.

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"I have fought even in the game of life when you have to go out in the 91st minute, you never know when the reward will come.

"I fulfilled a dream and I did not give up. That 10-year-old Mariano would be very proud of today.

"I could never imagine that this boy from Premià, that boy who spent all day playing football in the square with Bubu, Barry, Alaji, Edu or Xavi, would end up living this dream," Mariano said.

Diaz is one of the four players confirmed to leave Real Madrid this month, alongside Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, and Eden Hazard. Indeed, he once broke his nose playing against Elche two seasons ago.

The striker played just 84 games for Real Madrid's senior team in seven years, after graduating from Castilla. He scored 12 goals and produced three assists.

Unfortunately, Mariano will go down as a player who was never deemed good enough to write his name among the legends of Real Madrid.

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Real Madrid eye Harry Kane

Real Madrid see Harry Kane as the best available option to replace Karim Benzema, according to ESPN, but the club are also looking at other candidates, as they are aware that signing the forward from Tottenham Hotspur will be difficult.

The England captain, who has scored 32 goals this season, has the right profile to play for Madrid, sources have said, but there are question marks over his age, his transfer fee, and Spurs' reluctance to allow their marquee player to leave.

Madrid bid farewell to legends

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Real Madrid bade an emotional farewell to its departing contingent of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard in their final game of the season against Athletic Bilbao.

Los Blancos opted to mutually terminate Hazard's contract, whose four-year stint at the Bernabeu had been marked by disappointment, while Mariano’s contract, like Asensio's, ran out.