Isco - Real Madrid's golden boy looks destined for greatness

Isco – Real Madrid’s golden boy

There was an outpouring of support for Sami Khedira when the German suffered an injury that could potentially keep him out of first-team action for a while to come. And with the World Cup fast approaching, Carlo Ancelotti won’t be the only one who is worried.

But as much as we all love to see Khedira’s famous left eyebrow quiver, it may well stay relaxed for the time being, even if deliverance is in the form of a radically different player – Francisco Román Alarcón Suárez.

Of course, the world knows him as simply Isco.

And for the Liverpool fans who read the word “Suarez” and started sputtering in disbelief, my not-so-heartfelt apologies – I just couldn’t resist. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair if one didn’t give Brendan Rodgers the chance to staunchly deny the rumours all through the upcoming festive season, his bull-dog look firmly in place.

What a Merry Christmas this is going to be.

Isco is certainly one who has made Santa’s “Good” list this year. And even if it seems like a truly horrible thing to say, he will quietly be glad of the chance to establish himself in the Madrid line-up in Khedira’s absence.

Of course, the young Spaniard possesses different qualities than the German international, and it is here that it will be interesting to see how Ancelotti structures his team for the challenges that lie ahead.

Madrid’s defensive frailties saw Ancelotti ditch the 4-2-3-1 that he initially preferred – a formation that saw Isco taking to life in Madrid colours with a swagger and a poise rarely seen in one so young.

The boy wonder started his Galactico journey by scoring a late winner at the Bernabeu against Real Betis in the opening round of the fixtures, and continued his eye-catching ways with goals against Athletic Bilbao and Getafe as well.

Sandwiched in between was a goal on his Champions League debut for the club against Galatasaray.

It’s safe to say that the Madrid faithful were entranced – the grumbling from Mesut Ozil’s surprise departure, at the very least, trickled down to a barely heard whisper.

But the El Clasico saw the new hero make way for the biggest story of the summer – that of an unassuming Welshman taking to a club that assumes an awful lot when it comes to its players.

Ancelotti’s switch to a 4-3-3 formation saw him preferring a defensive-minded midfield trio that lets the explosive Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema take centre stage ahead of them.

Alas, it saw our young protagonist having to be content with a place in the shadows – although it may just have been exactly what the doctor ordered.

Ancelotti voiced concerns about the need for a little rest for his prodigy, who also took part in the European Under-21 Championships in the summer.

In prime physical condition at the start of the season, he was at serious risk of looking jaded in comparison to most other players in the league, who were now reaping the benefits of a longer rest, and coming into their own as the season progressed.

The latest man to join in the fun at Madrid – Gareth Bale, of course – has certainly looked a different player from the sorry figure we saw in the El Clasico. The Welshman’s own pre-season conditioning continued well into the new season, and it is only now that we see the benefits.

Isco himself is only 21. With a body that is all the more fragile in the process of getting used to the grind of playing for both club and country, it may well have been divine intervention that saw the Spaniard lose his place in the team.

And while the media did what it does best, and speculated endlessly on where Isco would play and all the predictions of disaster that go with it, Isco has put his head down and just got on with it.

Sami Khedira’s injury saw Ancelotti revert to the 4-2-3-1, trusting in his young prodigy to deliver the goods again.

Isco shakes hands with coach Carlo Ancelotti

He certainly didn’t disappoint in last night’s 4-1 win against Galatasaray in the Champions League, as Real Madrid shook off Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence – and Sergio Ramos’s red card – to record a comfortable, if intense, win.

Isco operated further up the pitch, flitting in and out of the scene intelligently, his passing assured and clever all night long.

But it was in the goal that he scored that we saw the genius shining through.

He possesses that magnetic ability to beat a man with the ball apparently stuck to his feet. It is not the explosive burst of a Ronaldo or a Bale, but more a succession of clever little touches that leaves the opposition wrong footed, while the little man looks like he is floating past them with almost absurd ease.

That ability was on view for all to see when he scored Madrid’s fourth on the night, with a finish that was as composed as any that a certain other Spaniard made in his long, distinguished career at the club.

Isco is a very different prospect to the immortal Raul Gonzalez, but the simple combination of his own exorbitant talent and his Spanish nationality has made him irresistible to the Madrid faithful. They have been pining for a Spanish flavour in their attack for a while now.

And in Isco they have a talent that is capable of evoking loyalty all on its own, regardless of nationality.

Even if future events convince Ancelotti to use the 4-3-3 again, there is no reason why Isco cannot operate alongside Xabi Alonso and Luka Modric in the centre. With Alonso and Modric masters at the art of distribution, the added dynamic of the busy little trickster in the centre may just be the added spark Madrid need to get their title challenge back on track.

It is certainly an angle that Ancelotti may look to explore, especially with young, energetic prospects like Illaramendi and Casemiro on hand to share the added defensive workload on Alonso and Modric.

Even as that quartet can be rotated with ease, Isco himself is no slouch when it comes to helping out defensively. And with the three in front of him able to cover ground very quickly, a quick touch and a flick from the little Spaniard may be all that it takes for this Madrid side to storm forward on the counter-attack, as they so love to do.

The simple task of using a genuinely creative footballer in the centre may well shake off the indecision that persists in the Real Madrid line-up today, with more clearly defined roles for everyone involved.

The lack of clarity was certainly on view in the embarrassing manner in which they lost the El Clasico, and even the phenomenally motivated Cristiano Ronaldo looked forlorn that night.

But events have conspired to hand a real gem of a player the chance to shine in the pearly white of the biggest football club in the world.

The world may well start blinking in the glare, for in Isco they have a rare player who can add lustre to the famous old jersey, as opposed to being consumed by it – a true Galactico.