LThe main doubt, if not the only one, in the team of the Real Madrid to be measured at Getafe is in the name of the third midfielder who will accompany Modric and Casemiro in the center of the field. From the first team, only one option: Isco. From the quarry, two: Arribas and Blanco. The malagueño has recovered from the puncture he suffered in the back last Friday and that prevented him from going to Huesca and is available for Zizou, which has the casualties of Valverde (injured) and Kroos (suspended). In addition, Odegaard left Arsenal, so he has no other options than Isco for that demarcation.
A year ago, there would be no doubt that the man from Malaga would be the one chosen by the French, but after what has been seen this season, it is not entirely certain that Isco will be the one chosen to start. Zidane has almost always made this type of decision taking into account the hierarchy of his players. In this case, that of the first team always ahead of the youth squad, although this implies changing position players. But Zidane, in the previous press conference, sowed doubt. “This is the first training he does with us …”, He said in reference to the 22 white, who already saw how a youth squad, Arribas, came out on the pitch before him.
This was Madrid’s last training session before playing against Getafe
These are not good times for Isco at Real Madrid. The man from Malaga asked for his departure in November due to the lack of opportunities, but no offer came to convince both parties. That’s why Isco is still in Madrid, not because Zidane has given him more stripes. On the contrary, he plays less and less and is even seeing how some homegrown players overtake him.
Isco has only played 485 minutes this season, with only Militao, Odriozola, Mariano and the two players who left the team in winter behind: Jovic and Odegaard. An unknown situation for the malagueño and that he cannot overcome. In fact, in LaLiga he has not started for three months (November 8 against Valencia) and his last start was against Alcoyano, on an unfortunate night for Madrid.
It seems clear that Zidane has lost confidence in Isco, also far from his best version, and that also opens the debate on his ownership tomorrow. Zidane has few options in the core, but the Malaga player is not the only one. Antonio Blanco and ArribasCastilla players, two of the jewels of the quarry, are the most reliable alternative that could leave Isco out of the eleven. Both champions of the Youth League last season, they are two of Raúl’s pillars in the Madrid subsidiary.
Blanco is another player with the profile of Casemiro, a more positional midfielder than This season he has played 10 games and has only been a substitute in one. Last week he lost the game due to suspension, so Zidane would find a rested player if he decides to put him in the middle.
Arribas, for his part, looks more and more at the first team. The youth squad, more like Isco, made his debut in September in the first game of the championship, against Real Sociedad. The youth squad had dazzled Zidane precisely in the Whites’ first and only preseason game, against him Getafe precisely, and that is why he gave him the opportunity in Anoeta. Madrid won 6-0 and Arribas and Marvin They were among the most prominent players. Blanco would play the second part of that friendly, so the Bordalás team would not catch them again.
Arribas He has also played minutes in the Champions League, exactly 16 against Borussia Moenchengladbach, on the day that Madrid was risking their lives in the Champions League. Madrid won 2-0 and Zizou gave the last 16 minutes of the duel to the youth squad, who also had eight minutes against Levante. His style pleases Zidane, who pulls him frequently in training. With Raúl he is a permanent fixture, he has played 10 games and has three goals and two assists.
Isco’s hierarchy, Blanco’s energy, or Arribas’s class? It is the great doubt of Zidane.