Fran Garcia explains Real Madrid exit decision ahead of Real Betis reunion – “I wanted to leave”

Real Madrid will face Real Betis in their fourth match of the 2026-27 season, marking a reunion for several players. Among them, Fran Garcia and Dabi Ceballos recently swapped the Bernabeu for La Cartuja during the summer. Garcia, who joined Betis in a €4m deal in early July, has been a strong performer for his new club. According to Diario AS, he has opened up about his decision to leave Real Madrid, stating that he was not satisfied with just being an understudy at the club.

He aimed to be a starter wherever he played, and at Betis, everything is going smoothly, both with teammates and staff. The Spaniard admitted that his decision to leave was made last season, despite having a successful 13-year tenure at Real Madrid. He mentioned that he needed something more, striving to give his best version and continue growing.

The arrival of Marc Cucurella at Real Madrid was the final straw for Garcia, as he felt he might not be playing important games with four left-backs in the squad. He also had a brief encounter with Jose Mourinho before his move to Betis and believes the Portuguese is the ideal man to turn things around at Real Madrid after two disappointing seasons.