Alvaro Morata and Alice Campello in happier times [Instagram] Alvaro Morata and Alice Campello in happier times [Instagram]

Former Chelsea and Real Madrid strike Alvaro Morata has announced his separation from his wife, Alice Campello, after seven years of marriage.

The Spanish captain has dedicated every goal to her during that timeframe, and the announcement came as a shock to his longtime fans.

“After some time of reflection, Alice and I have made the decision to part ways. A WONDERFUL and RESPECTFUL reciprocal relationship where we have loved and helped each other a lot,” Morata wrote on Instagram.

“They have been wonderful years and the result of them is our four children, who are undoubtedly the best thing we have ever done.”

Morata went on to write it wasn’t an easy decision.

‘It is a painful decision so we ask for respect and empathy. Do not invent stories for a minute of prominence because I repeat: there has never been any lack of respect, only many continuous misunderstandings that little by little wear things down.

Campello, for her part, also took to Instagram to attack “lies” about “third parties” that may have sunk the marriage. The two had been subject to numerous stories in the press about Morata potentially being unfaithful to his longtime wife.

“Alvaro and I have decided to separate, and it is the most difficult decision we have ever made in our lives. I want to make it clear, as he has, that there have been no third parties or any kind of disrespect from either of us,” she wrote.

“Congratulations, everyone can write their opinion and everyone is free to express it and no one ever pleases everyone, but there are ways and ways of saying things, even more so when you are from a newspaper and you have so much power to condition young people. Do we really want this?” she wrote on Instagram.

[Daily Mail]