Hezonja confirms this: “I will continue to play in my home, in my Real Madrid.”

“As you all know, after my last game of the season, I became a free agent with the ability to decide where I want to play for the next few years. I did not reach any preliminary agreement with anyone and always said that if something happened, I would be the first to tell. Real Madrid believed in me when many others didn’t, they took care of me and my family from the day I arrived at the club. and it made us feel at home. My only intention was to continue, so I am very happy to say that my journey will continue at home at Real Madrid for a long time to come.” Moreover, through their social networks and with a banner of white fans on which they appear. Super Mario (his nickname) Mario Hezonja has confirmed what has been an open secret after days of intense soap opera: he is set to renew his contract with Real Madrid..

Hezonja (29) appeared to have one foot outside the club last Friday when information surfaced about a proposed pre-agreement with Barcelona (which various sources continue to claim exists), one of his main suitors. Since his contract was ending and he could not conclude his extension with Madrid, Barça spoke to his entourage (many weeks ago) and offered to return to Barcelona nine years later (he left to play in the NBA, in 2015). Except, Panathinaikos never hid that this was one of its main goals. He already tried last summer, so much so that Hezonja himself had to confirm that he would fulfill his second year of contract, although the Croatian flirting publicly with the idea of ​​returning to Athens, where he had a special relationship with the green fans in 2021, at the moment when he returned from the NBA and Barça did not want to accept him, although he had rights (he refused them). ) in Europe .

There in Greece, Hezonja found happiness again playing basketball after ugly a stage in which he did not settle in the NBA. Then he played at a high level for UNICS Kazan and, finally (during the disqualification of Russian clubs in Europe due to the war in Ukraine) He ended up at Real Madrid in the summer of 2022. He will continue to play in a white uniform, other alternatives or even the next stage of the NBA have already been ruled out. which was also under consideration, as the prestigious American journalist Mark Stein recalled a few days ago.

In a strange sequence of events Barcelona itself also distanced itself from any relationship with Hezonja., whose words when Real Madrid won the championship in Murcia were not liked by Barcelona. In Madrid, meanwhile, there was always confidence in his succession because it was an idea that the player always conveyed to them, although there were months of tug-of-war in the economic negotiations and, according to some sources, also some doubts. from the Croatian about his fame and role in the plans of Chus Mateo.

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