Real Madrid don't lose with Isco: and ahead of James with Zidane
Absent for the three defeats, and a catalyst for the spark returning to the side at Villarreal, the midfielder is making a strong case for his inclusion in more of Zidane's XIs. Tenerife vs Getafe: Playoff Final
Isco redeemed himself once again against Villarreal. The boy from Málaga is debating whether he renews his contract with Real Madrid while not getting significant playing time, although more and more minutes are coming his way. It's an important role he needs to carve out for himself and be provided with some guarantees if he is going to stay with the club.
Changing the Madrid attacking threat
Although the controversial penalty decision midweek has taken most of the focus of why Madrid fought back and went on to win in the Estadio de la Cerámica, the introduction of Isco cannot be underestimated. Coming on for Casemiro just before the hour mark, he managed the same number of passes (24) in half the time, which was only one less than Cristiano, who played the full 90 minutes. His passing was also much more offensively minded than the Brazilian and more successful than the Portuguese star (21 vs 18). After the victory, manager Zinedine Zidane was quick to highlight the importance of the change to the midfield, saying that his introduction altered the game, which allowed them to play more in the opposition half.
Advantage Isco in the ongoing James debate
The Spanish international is winning the battle with James Rodriguez in the ongoing comparison about who deserves to get their place in the Madrid side. With Gareth Bale now back in the XI - and nobody is doubting his place currently - both are likely to have even more limited opportunities for a starting berth, or more than a cameo appearance. In the recent loss to Valencia, the Colombian's contribution was somewhat muted. Isco's creative spark is catching the eye of many and could give Zidane a potential decision to make over whether the BBC is still his go-to starting three.
Isco vs James: LaLiga comparison
| Minutes | Goals | Assists | Passes | % Pass accuracy | Recoveries | |
| ISCO | 1,005 | 5 | 5 | 722 | 89.9 | 75 |
| JAMES | 517 | 1 | 3 | 360 | 87.8 | 23 |
Isco vs James: a look at the stats
The numbers speak for themselves. In LaLiga, Isco has five goals and the same amount of assists in the 1,005 minutes played. James, in half that time on the pitch (517 minutes), has only scored once. Although in passes they are matched closely, the defensive aspect of the Andalusian is clearly better: 75 recoveries against 23 for the South American. Only the performances in the Copa (four assists plus a goal against lowly Cultural and two against Sevilla in his best performance of the season) give the James' camp much to go on.
Isco's season 2016/17 so far
| Played | Minutes | Goals | Assists | |
| Liga | 18 | 1.005 | 5 | 5 |
| Copa | 4 | 211 | – | 1 |
| Champions League | 1 | 67 | – | – |
| Club World Cup | 1 | 39 | – | – |
| European Super Cup | 1 | 66 | – | – |
| TOTAL | 25 | 1.388 | 5 | 6 |
James' season 2016/17 so far
| Played | Minutes | Goals | Assists | |
| Liga | 11 | 517 | 1 | 3 |
| Copa | 3 | 259 | 3 | 4 |
| Champions League | 5 | 311 | – | 2 |
| Club World Cup | 1 | 18 | – | 1 |
| European Super Cup | 1 | 48 | – | – |
| TOTAL | 21 | 1.153 | 4 | 10 |
Clearly both players would benefit from an extended run in the team to show their respective merits in their most favourable positions, but that luxury isn't one often afforded to the manager. Those players on the fringes of the first XI know that they will get fleeting chances to shine...and they must take them.
Update 12 May 2017: James has reached an initial agreement with Manchester United.
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