No regrets for Sahin over injury-hit Real Madrid move

The Turkey international's spell at the Bernabeu has been blighted by fitness problems and loan spells with Liverpool and former club Borussia Dortmund, but he insists it was the right move.

Nuri Sahin has returned to Borussia Dortmund on loan from Real Madrid.

Nuri Sahin insists he has no regrets over his ill-fated move to Real Madrid, despite seeing his fast-rising career stall during an injury-plagued year at the Bernabeu.

The Turkey international signed a six-year contract with Madrid in 2011, after catching the eye during his key role in Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga title-winning campaign the previous season,

But an injury-blighted spell in Spain meant he played just a handful of games for Jose Mourinho's side before joining Liverpool on a season-long loan last summer.

The 24-year-old, who returned to Dortmund on loan in January after making only 12 appearances at Anfield, does not regret making the move to Madrid, though.

"Of course I had different expectations when I went there," he told AS.

"But I was injured. I didn't play well when I was able to return to the team and the whole time I was injured the team were really playing very well.

"Now, when I see how my game is improving, I think I took the right decision to go. I learned a lot. I was able to train day in day out with the best players in the world, like Cristiano (Ronaldo), (Karim) Benzema, (Gonzalo) Higuain...This helped me a lot to improve my game."

Dortmund will come face-to-face with Madrid later this month when they clash in the Champions League semi-finals.

Madrid have won a record nine European Cup crowns but have not tasted success in the competition since 2002 and in the last two years have been knocked out at the semi-finals.

Sahin knows what a 10th title means to Madrid and believes that increases the pressure on Mourinho's men.

He said: "Real Madrid have spent 10 years talking about and hoping to win a 10th European Cup title. In every game they play at the Bernabeu the fans end up singing about the '10th'.

"It shows how important it is to them and what this competition means to them. But this also puts them under a lot of pressure. We don't have this pressure."

He added: "The tie is open. Both teams like to play attractive attacking football."

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