James Rodriguez Must Take His Chance in the Super Cup Final for Real Madrid

Real Madrid's 2016-17 season is set to get underway with a chance at silverware right off the bat. The UEFA Super Cup final will pit Real, the winners of last season's Champions League, against Sevilla, the Europa League champions, on Tuesday.

Naturally, Real will enter the game as favourites, but Zinedine Zidane will be missing a few key players, including Cristiano Ronaldo—injured in the Euro 2016 final—and Gareth Bale, who returned from holiday without enough time to be included in the matchday squad, per Marca.

Bale's absence in particular means Zidane will have to rethink how to provide support for the attack, and the opening in the starting XI is a big opportunity for one of the frustrated would-be stars of the squad to show his worth in an important match: James Rodriguez.

The Super Cup is a chance for the Colombian to provide a reminder to his boss that he is among the world's foremost talents and can be relied upon to fire Real to the trophies they crave most.

Unhappy Union

For most of 2016, it seems, there has been a succession of soundbites from both parties—Zidane and James—confirming there is no intent to make a sale happen, that the priority is to remain Real Madrid's No. 10 and that the ambition on the player's part is to become an important part of the team again.

Even so, the rumours won't die down.

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As recently as Aug. 3, Marca reported Zidane did not want James to leave the club, yet within a day, the same publication suggested Marco Asensio's presence in the squad during pre-season and beyond meant there was still a chance James would depart.

James quickly went from one of Real's key players under Carlo Ancelotti to a benchwarmer under Zidane, and with so little movement over the summer on the transfer front, it's tough to see how things will change.

But, of course, there's still James' ability to consider. 

Star Quality

Set aside his fitness issues at the beginning of last season, and James would have been part of Rafa Benitez's first XI. He was in the team after the opening fixture, playing from the right, but a succession of injuries suffered on international duty forced him out of the reckoning. He never bounced back from that.

There are reasons he was ahead of Isco in the running order: James is a far more decisive player with more end product inside the penalty box, and he's a lot more direct with his passing and runs into the box.

While Isco has good traits of his own, James' mesh better with how the team has played. He's fast on the offensive transitions and quick to release the speed-based players in attack. He also has a tendency to arrive late in the box and score from cutbacks and deflections, which Real Madrid's rampaging full-backs provide endless ammunition for.

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James is likely the most consistent set-piece taker in the squad. He can play from a midfield role or as a second forward, and when fit, he has the flat-out ability to routinely destroy teams in La Liga.

He didn't look good because of Ronaldo, Bale and Co. under Ancelotti, he fit right in alongside them and added to the team considerably. That's the level James must get back to, and if he's given a shot at starting in the Super Cup, he needs to get there immediately.

Isco and Asensio

It's not cut-and-dried that James will start, of course. His two biggest rivals for game time this season will be Isco and Asensio, and both have seen more pre-season minutes than the Colombian, thanks to his Copa America involvement.

With that said, with Bale and Ronaldo out, there's a fair chance that two of those names start, vying for roles in midfield along with Lucas Vazquez. Should Zidane go for a three-man central midfield in one variation or another, James could even feature alongside Luka Modric as an offensive outlet in the middle.

Whether stepping into that role or playing as an attacker from the right channel would benefit James most is up for debate, but the point is he needs to star regardless of where he ends up.

@karlmatchett

James didn't feature at all for Real in the Champions League final in May, and considering he's the man Colombia's national team is built around, that must have been an immense disappointment for him.

Getting the nod to play in the season opener, contribute directly to winning a trophy and step up as creator and scorer in the absence of the attack's two biggest names is simply an opportunity James cannot afford to pass up.

If he makes his mark on this game, the clamour will begin for him to be involved more regularly. Zidane won't necessarily bow to press or fan pressure, but he will acknowledge James' importance if he contributes.

Meanwhile, the Frenchman can become just the sixth person to win the Super Cup as both a player and head coach—and Johan Cruyff, Ancelotti, Diego Simeone, Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola would be pretty good company to join, if he can manage it.

Rotations

A brace, an assist and man of the match honors aren't going to guarantee James a spot in the first XI, but this game is all about beginning to force his way back into Zidane's trusted few.

Real have a big squad, but it's still probable that only 13 or 14 players will go above 2,500 minutes across the entire season. In other words, a core group will play most matches, with the rotation players featuring when needed.

However, Zidane will need to rotate more often than he did last term, so even without being a starter, James should get plenty of time on the pitch—especially if the big names in attack are rested more often to preserve their fitness across the entire season.

Whoever impresses in the opening games with Bale and Ronaldo absent will, inevitably and justifiably, be the first names Zidane turns to when changes are needed in La Liga.

James has the all-round ability and the star quality to be a worthy part of the core group at Real this season, and becoming one of the go-to men for the boss starts with the Super Cup.

Follow @karlmatchett