Isco's exhibition: 7 steals, 91% pass completion rate...
The Malagueño put in one of his best performances for Real Madrid as the two capital sides bid farewell to the Vicente Calderón.
Best performance
The last league derby at the Vicente Calderón will be remembered for Cristiano Ronaldo's hat trick and Isco's exhibition display. Looking at the Malagueño's figures from last night's derby, it's clear who bossed the game - the last in 50 years of Madrid derbies to be played on the Manzanares river.
Isco entered the starting XI because Casemiro and Kroos remain out injured and Zidane also handed a start to Lucas Vázquez instead of Karim Benzema - a move which gave the Malagueño a more high profile role. Normally, Madrid's Bale-Benzema-Cristiano frontline obliges Isco to drop deeper from his usual position and that comes with extra duties within the team's set-up; but with Lucas Vázquez's defensive strengths and accelaration, Zidane was able to bring out the best in Isco, in his favoured position - just behind the centre-forward.
Precision passing
Isco registered 91.7% success rate in his passing, the second best average after Nacho. Just four of his 48 passes went astray but Isco was distributing the ball in the part of the pitch were it is easier to lose possession. He made 26 passes in Atlético's half (79% success rate). The most important one was the lofted ball over to send Bale galloping down the left flank which ended with Cristiano slotting in the winner.
Apart from his passing, Isco didn't forget about the other chores which go with the job - he won back possession for the team seven times in 79 minutes, a figure only bettered by Modric, who stole nine.
"[This position] is where I feel most comfortable,” Isco said after the game. “But I don’t want to make that an excuse. I try to always do the best I can [wherever I play]".