Real Madrid playmaker aims frustration at Zidane's decisions

Isco has featured sparingly in the season so far, and the player is not at all pleased with the lack of consistent minutes at Real Madrid.

Heading into the match with an undesired record of back-to-back shock home defeats, Real Madrid made a number of changes to their line-up for the El Clasico.

The likes of Isco, Marcelo, and Luka Modric – all experienced players – were dropped to the bench while in came promising talents such as Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior.

Zinedine Zidane’s rotation decision ultimately paid off as his side thoroughly beat arch-rivals FC Barcelona with a 3-1 scoreline.

However, it did not impress Isco, who failed to feature in the match at all, that he was excluded from the starting XI.

Movistar+’s ‘El Partidazo’ program picked up a conversation between Isco and some of his colleagues prior to the kick-off at Camp Nou on Saturday. The former Malaga man supposedly expressed his frustration at being ostracized by his manager.

“If he has to take me off, he takes me off in the 50th or 60th minute of the game. Sometimes even at half-time,” he complained, via AS.

“If he has to put me on, he’ll do it in the 80th minute.”

Isco has been in and out of the Real Madrid team this season, having played only four matches so far.

In those four appearances, he was present from the very beginning only in two games while in the other, he was substituted after the first 45 minutes. As for the remaining ones, the midfielder came on in the 89th against Levante and in the 46th minute against Real Betis.