10 footballers who don't deserve to be on the bench

#2 Isco

Another Real Madrid player who has found few chances in the first team

Isco has been marked down as one of the world’s most precocious young players ever since he broke into Valencia’s squad in the 2010-11 season. Following a voraciously consistent season for Malaga in 2012-13, Florentino Perez brought him to Madrid for €30 million – a pittance these days when we compare his price tag to his immense potential.

After thoroughly impressing former manager Carlo Ancelotti initially, who agreed to the sale of Mesut Ozil in order to make room for him, Isco has drifted out of the starting XI picture. Ancelotti changed Real’s formation from a 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3, leaving no room for a natural no. 10 – which is exactly where Isco fits in best.

This season, Isco has started 8 games in La Liga out of 15, in addition to 4 substitute appearances. But these appearances have stacked up only because of injury troubles for Kroos, Casemiro and Modric. The Spaniard would do well to hold on to his starting berth when all 3 of them are fit and in full form.