Sevilla captain Navas considers retirement: 'Hope the pain doesn't get worse'

According to Mundo Deportivo, Navas was to start Friday evening against Barcelona, but during the warm-up, the veteran appeared not fit enough to start as a right-wing defender. Therefore, the Sevilla club icon gave up his spot to the twenty-year-old Juanlu Sánchez. Navas entered the field nine minutes before the end to replace Sánchez.

The nearly 38-year-old Navas is considering putting an end to his career after this season. The 48-time Spanish international notices that his body is starting to show defects. A chronic hip injury often bothers Navas. 'I don’t know if I'm going to stick to another season after this one. The situation with my hip is getting more complicated, but my passion for the game is still too great to stop now,' Navas told Spanish 101 TV.

'I hope the pain doesn’t get worse. I try to enjoy every day that I'm on the field,' continues the former Manchester City player. Of his eight appearances for Sevilla this season, Navas played ninety minutes three times. 'I have felt this pain for about two years and I really have heavy moments, but I want to help the team as much as possible. Our fans and the atmosphere in the stadium also keep me going.'