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. 

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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.