Richard Ríos is already on his way to Saudi Arabia to start a new stage of his career. The Colombian midfielder left Lisbon late Thursday morning to join Al Ittihad, where he will play on loan from Benfica. Some logistical problems had forced the postponement of the initially planned trip.
Before boarding, Ríos spoke to CNN Portugal about leaving Benfica and left a message of gratitude to the fans and the red club. The Colombian international stated: "I want to thank all the affection. I have nothing to complain about. They were a thousand out of ten with me, they always supported me."
Despite admitting he had little time to work with coach Marco Silva, Ríos was satisfied with the new challenge and prepared for the new phase. "The first and only thing I have to say is thank you for everything, for the affection," he added.
The player also stressed that he still has a contract with Benfica and left the possibility open, saying "who knows if, in the end, we won't be back here."
