Four Madrid substitutes selected for international duty
This week Real Madrid had their trickiest away fixture of their Champions League group in Dortmund. Nacho, Isco, Lucas Vázquez and Morata only managed a grand total of four minutes playing time between all four players with Morata replacing Benzema as the clocked ticked down. The other three players didn't play for a single minute. Nacho himself didn't even make the bench and watched the game from the stand with Coentrao taking his place on the sub's bench. All four players however did get a call-up for the Spain squad ahead of the forthcoming complicated away World Cup 2018 qualifiers in Italy and Albania. An Albania side who performed admirably at Euro 2016.
Four substitutes but each with a different situation. Morata is fourth in the forward line pecking order and will get playing time behind the "BBC". Lucas Vázquez is in a similar situation and is clearly rated by Madrid coach Zinedina Zidane. Nacho's case though is less clear-cut. With the return of Coentrao the 26 year old who was close to joining AS Roma this summer may see his playing time even more limited. A fit Bartra would also possibly mean him not figuring in the Spain set-up.
The situation regarding Isco is the most unusual. He's clearly behind James and Asensio in Zidane's thinking at Madrid and apart from the third goalkeeper and injured player's he's the squad member with the lowest amount of playing minutes. Lopetegui, however has faith in the player from Benalmadena and was key for the coach in the U-21 set-up. The call-up is a great morale boost for Isco and will give him a badly needed dose of confidence. It's clear however that his playing time at Real Madrid in the near future is going to be extremely limited.
