Something is happening with Isco
The 25-year-old midfielder was one of the key players of the 2016-17 season, when Real Madrid won the Champions League and LaLiga. However, this season, the Spanish player is having a harder time.
While last season he took advantage of Gareth Bale's long absence and even started in the final against Juventus, now he sometimes doesn't start when there are injured or suspended players in the squad.
In 2018, Isco started in 11 out of the 19 matches played by Real Madrid. At this point, even Zidane's updated system seems to complicate things for him, with four midfielders, two central (Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, and Kovacic) and two wide (Marco Asensio and Lucas).
Only completed 90 minutes in 18 out of 72 starting appearances
During Zidane's tenure, Isco started in 72 matches, but only completed the full 90 minutes in 18 of them. Less than 25%.
The round of 16 match against PSG in the Champions League showed a trend that has been repeating throughout the season. The team won when he was substituted. He was replaced by Marco Asensio in the 79th minute, and the goals came in the 83rd and 86th minutes to finish 2-1 in the first leg.
When asked about the possibility of selling Isco, Zidane said: "I've always said that I trust my team, and I will until the end. Isco is one of them, I trust him until the end. He's a great player. He has already proven it in the past and he will do it again. I want him in my team and I intend for him to stay here for his entire life. It's a lie that I want him sold in the summer."
Player's performance remains unchanged
However, the player's performance has not improved since then, and he has been left out of several important moments, such as the second leg against PSG. Many still remember his slow exit from the field against Espanyol when the game was tied.
Nevertheless, Zidane always defends him: "His attitude is always spectacular. He always trains well. It's normal for him to be angry sometimes, but it's something that doesn't matter to me."
While he signed a new contract last summer, Real Madrid is expecting him to perform at the same level as last season. Everyone knows that when he is in a good moment, there are very few players who can match him.