REAL MADRID MIDFIELDER Isco has slammed claims that he refused to warm up as a substitute during his side’s 3-0 Clasico defeat to Barcelona.
The Spain international was surprisingly left out of the starting line-up for the clash at the Santiago Bernabeu and did not get off the bench as the champions slumped to a damaging defeat.
Isco had been warming up with Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale after Barca took the lead early in the second half through Luis Suarez, but head coach Zinedine Zidane was forced to bring on defender Nacho Fernandez when Dani Carvajal was sent off for a deliberate handball and Lionel Messi made it 2-0 from the penalty spot.
Some sections of the Spanish media claimed Isco stopped warming up and headed back to the bench after the decision to bring on Nacho, with Zidane later turning to Bale and Asensio in a bid to snatch a result before Aleix Vidal’s late third goal.
Isco, however, has taken exception to the suggestion, insisting he only went to sit down when his two attacking team-mates were preparing to go on.
Taking to Twitter after the match, he wrote: “Stop spreading s*** my two team-mates were about to come on… I didn’t know we could make four changes.”
The defeat leaves Madrid 14 points behind La Liga leaders Barca, although they have a game in hand.
Zidane, meanwhile, has defended his decision to select Mateo Kovacic ahead of Isco, claiming he did so with the aim of limiting Messi’s influence on the match.
“I have to make decisions. The idea was to keep an eye on Messi, and Mateo did well. We made a decision and that’s it,” the Frenchman told beIN Sports, before further discussing the issue in his post-match media conference.
“I’m making decisions as a coach. The decision was Kovacic on the pitch and Isco on the bench at the start. Then, because of how the match went, I was not able to use Isco.
“I had to use Nacho [Fernandez] because of the red card and had to changes left with one player less. That changes the game.
“I’m the coach and it’s always going to be like that while I’m here.
“I will not regret anything. If you score in the first half the match is different. I know I will take the criticism, but that’s football, and it will not change how I think.
“I make these decisions and I accept what happens.”
Having seen the gap to the summit increase as Madrid’s defence of their La Liga crown was dealt a severe blow, Zidane issued a rallying call to his players.
“People might think the league is over, but I do not and neither does [Ernesto Valverde],” he said. “We will keep doing our work because it has not been a bad year.”
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LeBron is definitely the best player in the NBA this year. Harden puts up great highlights and is unbelievably skillful but not a better player this year.
@kevcrowley: is that why Curry wipes the floor with him in the finals… you know, the part of the season that matters?
@Jonathan Nolan: curry wasn’t even Finals mvp , and in the finals the last two years it’s been pretty much 4 v 1 with a bit of Kevin Love and Kyrie last year
@Jonathan Nolan: curry can blow hot and cold beteeen quarters and have Kevin Durant or Klay Thompson take over scoring. James played every minute nearly and has huge defensive responsibility on top. No comparison with Curry
@kevcrowley: every minute??!! Is that why he was on the bench or sitting at the side of the clock for 20 minutes per game 2 & 3?
@Aidan Holden: is that Curry’s daily for having a team around him?
@kevcrowley: bottom line is LeBum James only has as many rings as Larry Bird, yet he’s been in almost twice as many finals. The guy has skills, but he’s a chump. At the end of a career it’s rings that are the legacy, and LeBum will be hard pressed getting another one
@Jonathan Nolan: do you think calling him LeBum makes you sound smart and reasonable?
@Jonathan Nolan: well in that case a ‘chump’ is the 2nd greatest player of all time
@Jonathan Nolan: your opinion on basketball is complete rubbish I’ve seen all the top players in the league play live and LeBron is superior than every single one of them
Instead of calling people bums take the time to actually watch them play basketball in the flesh before you talk
Your opinion is complete rubbish
@Aidan Holden: after Larry Bird and Magic Johnson? Aren’t you forgetting about Jordan?
@Barry McCarthy: No, would be the answer to that one Barry. It’s just my opinion. He’s the most over hyped player in NBA history. You are entitled to your own opinion. Fair enough
@Jonathan Nolan: MJ number 1 LBJ number 2
Should’ve won it in 2011 but This year Harden was a fair choice
@Ruairi Doyle: in 2011 he wasn’t starting and averaged about 10 ppg what?
4-0 says it all. And LeBum was the one with 4 x L’s against his name at seasons end
@Jonathan Nolan: weird
@Jonathan Nolan: 4-0 says absolutely nothing since its REGULAR SEASON MVP.