Masterful Isco Leads Real Madrid to 2-1 Win vs. Malaga in La Liga Play

Isco ran the show during Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Malaga in La Liga on Sunday, scoring and assisting in a wonderful performance.

The former Malaga man gave Los Blancos the lead with a wonderful free-kick, and Casemiro doubled the advantage after the break, with Isco setting him up. Diego Rolan bagged a late goal for Malaga, who couldn't complete the comeback.

Here are the key takeaways from the match.

Ronaldo Rested

With Barcelona on course to win the La Liga title, Real logically opted to rest several starters in this match with an eye on the UEFA Champions League tie with Bayern Munich in the near future. Cristiano Ronaldo didn't even make the bench, while Toni Kroos and Marcelo started the contest on the sidelines.

As shared by sportswriter Dermot Corrigan, manager Zinedine Zidane's cautious approach didn't seem cautious enough for a brief moment in the first half:

Isco Apologises After Opener

Former Malaga star Isco scored the first goal with a textbook free-kick and, per sportswriter Sid Lowe, showed great sportsmanship afterwards:

The Spain international moved to the capital from Malaga in 2013, and the club has fallen on hard times since then. Relegation seems inevitable, and it will be the first time since the 2007-08 campaign La Liga will be without the Boquerones.

Brave Malaga No Match for Blancos

To their credit, the hosts didn't let Real rout them after Isco's goal, and they had multiple chances to tie things up. Roberto Rosales only narrowly missed the target with a free-kick of his own, and Manuel Iturra put Keylor Navas to work after a mistake from Casemiro.

Their fine work continued after the break, but after 63 minutes, Real iced the contest when they found their second goal. Isco provided a great assist for Casemiro, who couldn't miss from close range.

Per Corrigan, it was a lovely move:

Malaga's push was eventually rewarded, as Rolan got on the board in injury time, but the clock ran out before they could complete their comeback. His goal came right at the end of the contest.

Solid Vallejo Audition Ruined by Late Mistake

Real's top defensive prospect, Jesus Vallejo, had a golden opportunity to show his abilities on Sunday, but a late mistake will overshadow an otherwise solid showing from the 21-year-old. While his positioning was good, he struggled with the physicality of Malaga's strikers, and the final goal came after he was barged out of the way by Rolan. 

Fans still love his potential, even if he has to improve certain aspects of his game:

What's Next

Real will host Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, while Malaga visit Levante on Thursday.