Real Madrid great Iker Casillas insists his rivalry with Cesar Sanchez wasn't personal.

Casillas says the competition ended up being good for him.

He recalled: "That competitiveness we had is all in the past now. But the best thing that could have happened to me was to have to compete with César.

"It made me mature very quickly, he was 10 years older than me. It wasn't a healthy competition, but it was very good competition. It's difficult for goalkeepers to get on well when you are both competing for a place in the side. I was a little afraid of César. He had enjoyed several good seasons at Valladolid.

"But as it turned out, Madrid won the Champions League and a young lad like me lifted the European Cup".