“Zidane expected more from me” - Ex-Real Madrid superstar makes brutally honest confession
Former Real Madrid midfielder Isco has opened up on his time with Los Blancos in a recent interview with Spanish publication MARCA. The Spaniard spent nine years at the Santiago Bernabeu from 2013 to 2022 before leaving for Sevilla.
While Isco arrived amidst much fanfare, he couldn't quite recapture the form he showed for Malaga. In 353 appearances overall for Real Madrid across competitions, he scored 53 and assisted 57 goals.
He played the majority of his football under former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane in what was the club's most successful period in recent history. However, Isco admitted that he could have been a lot better under the Frenchman.
“Did I expect more from Zidane? No. Zidane expected more from me, to be honest,” he said.
He further added on his playing time at the club:
"Zizou arrived in the final stretch of the (2015/16) season and I wasn't well, really. It was a very hard year because of what I'm telling you, I was totally demoralized. Also after the World Cup, my head and my body couldn't."
Isco continued:
"The following season I started without playing, but there was a click in my head and what happened in other years passed, when I began to play important games: PSG in the Champions League, Barça at the Camp Nou, Super Cup in Arabia, against City in the Champions League I scored a goal. .. I was coming back again."
He also said:
"But then came the pandemic. And after the pandemic I stopped playing. Honestly, it was more of a demerit to me. And the following year I was not well and my good times at Madrid ended. I played two or three games with Carletto and he's done, but he was honest with me and I accepted it. I tried to train well and take advantage of the minutes he gave me."
Isco featured in 184 matches under Zidane, scoring 27 and assisting as many goals. He won numerous trophies during his time with Real Madrid, including five UEFA Champions League and three La Liga titles.
Isco reveals Barcelona approached him during his time at Real Madrid
In the same interview, Isco revealed that Barcelona approached him during his time at Real Madrid. However, the midfielder chose against joining Los Blancos' arch-rivals as he was enjoying his time in the Spanish capital.
"Yes. I'm talking about Barça. Bartomeu called me and with what Bartomeu was paying at that time... But I was in Madrid very well, with my teammates, with an incredible atmosphere in the dressing room... It was the team of my dreams, in which I had I won what I dreamed of."
The Spaniard added:
"I wasn't leaving Madrid for all the gold in the world. The city is also wonderful. As I have enjoyed in Madrid, I knew that I was not going to enjoy it anywhere else," he said.
Isco is currently without a club after his Sevilla contract was terminated in December last year.