Why Isco Is No Longer a Vital Cog in the Real Madrid Midfield Engine
Real Madrid's squad rebuild this summer isn't likely to be an extensive one, instead adding two or three key faces in areas where head coach Zinedine Zidane feels the side requires more balance or depth, or else a greater level of quality—a difficult aspect to find, considering they have just won the UEFA Champions League.
Even so, there are areas of the squad that are clearly deeper than others in terms of available numbers, with offensive-minded midfielders one such area.
Zidane wasn't heavily into rotating unnecessarily in his first half-season in charge, and although that's something that will have to be altered as the team competes on five fronts in 2016-17, it's still safe to say he'll probably have a preferred XI—and Isco will not be part of it.
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Pushed down the order of preference from the beginning of last term, the Spanish playmaker has not had an easy time of things at Real of late and needs a big year to get his career at the top level back on track, but he's no longer a pivotal part of the setup and doesn't look like being capable of changing that any time soon.
Best of times
Having joined from Malaga in 2013, Isco won the Champions League title in his first campaign with the club, though he was in and out of the team all year—almost 40 of his 53 appearances saw him either brought on as sub or withdrawn from the pitch. Still, aged only 21 at the time, he was playing an important part in the squad and it looked as though the only way was up for him.
In Carlo Ancelotti's final season, transfers in midfield and injuries to some of the star attackers meant the Italian boss often favoured a 4-4-2 instead of variations on a three-man central midfield, and it was perhaps in this time that Isco shone brightest as a genuinely top-class youngster.
Playing from the left side of midfield, he cut in to great effect, mirroring the impact of James Rodriguez on the opposite flank. Both acted as playmakers, both were able to contribute enormously to the creation and finishing of chances, and both more than played their part defensively.
Clearly aware this was an opportunity to lock down a regular place, there was a great work ethic about the team at the time, as well as a balanced shape. It helped Isco that he also had Marcelo marauding forward on the outside of him to take care of the entire left flank, leaving the youngster to work centrally as often as he liked.
Isco played 3,700 minutes in the 2014-15 season, comfortably his biggest contribution since joining the club, and more than James, Karim Benzema or Sergio Ramos managed.
Worst of times
Contrast that to 2015-16: more than 1,000 minutes less on the pitch, subbed off in 13 of his 21 La Liga starts and only twice managed to put consecutive 90-minute league performances in over the entire campaign.
Despite starting the first game of the campaign in the XI, Isco was never first choice for either Rafa Benitez or Zidane. He was quickly moved out of the team to make way for James originally, then after being left on the bench at the start of El Clasico in November, his campaign unravelled entirely.
Brought on as sub with the team losing, Isco's shocking performance in the match lasted less than half an hour before he was sent off for a ridiculous kick on Neymar.
A two-game suspension contributed during that period to ensuring he didn't start any of seven Liga games in a row—the last seven of Benitez's tenure after the manager clearly lost faith and trust in Real's No. 22. And with good reason.
The disrespectful way in which he treated the then-head coach, with his pantomime display of disbelief at (an underperforming) Toni Kroos being named as sub, would have warranted a fine and public apology at most clubs. The kick at Neymar was an extreme example, but Isco was lazy and selfish in his performances during Benitez's reign.
His performances rarely picked up under Zidane either, and it's not the first time his professionalism has been called into question.
Marca reported (h/t the Daily Express) Isco's unhappiness, subsequent drop in performance level and dedication under Ancelotti, and the same questions arose in March, with Carlos Carpio of Marca questioning his "mentality and dedication" off the pitch.
End result? Isco was omitted from the Spain squad for UEFA Euro 2016 and deservedly so.
His role in the squad was filled by the likes of Nolito, a consistent performer at a lesser club, and Lucas Vazquez, a squad member at Real Madrid with Isco and who played 1,000 minutes fewer but impressed far more with his determination and end product.
Zidane and future?
Where does Isco go from here? There can be no questions over his level of ability. His space awareness and ability to exploit gaps in opposition defences are tremendous; give him a yard of space off the left channel and he'll find a team-mate with a clipped cross or reverse pass. Goalscoring isn't his biggest trait, but if played regularly, he'd almost certainly hit double figures.
But a place in the team—at Real Madrid or any big club—must be earned.
Isco has frequently given the impression that he believes he should be in the side first and then showcase his abilities.
Transfer rumours won't die down either, with reported interest from Juventus, per TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t Goal) during the 2015-16 season now being replicated over summer. Pete Jenson of MailOnline claimed Isco will be offered to the Turin club as bait to lure the Serie A champions into selling Paul Pogba.
In truth, it still feels as though Isco will have another campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu. He has two years remaining on his contract, he is only 24 and one of the few Spanish players in the first team, along with winger Lucas and defenders Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal; the other Spanish players are youngsters or fringe players.
Isco needs a big upturn in performances to extend his career at Real Madrid, but that will only come with dedication, determination and consistency—not with intent to undermine others.
He won't get away with behaving toward Zidane as he did with Benitez—the Frenchman's standing at the club won't allow it—but 2016-17 might be the last season Isco spends in white if he doesn't up his game considerably.
The problem is that he's starting from a position of deficit and there's no quick, clear route for him to get back into the regular XI.
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