Real Madrid: Isco misses the boat... again

The Real Madrid playmaker did himself no favours on his return to the starting eleven against Mallorca. 

Fitness, excuses and performances

Afer ten days of training and thinking - we can assume - about proving to Zidane than he deserves more minutes on the pitch, Isco was clearly not fully fit. He has spent a long time now fighting silly battles and blaming his tools for his lack of game-time. However, the cold hard truth is that he is not up to playing at the highest level - not at Madrid, not anywhere. 

Attitude and self-criticism

In a side with a dearth of midfield options, Isco has been unable to nail down a place because he has become a player who trots from side to side as he watches the game pass him by. He has gone from being a target for most big clubs in European football to a second-rate playmaker, and if he doesn't buck up his ideas and start to take a good long look at himself, getting back to the levels demanded by playing for Real Madrid will be nigh on impossible.