It can often be unsettling, and demoralising for a player of Isco's quality to feature more regularly on the bench than on the field, but if recent performances are anything to go by the former Malaga man is slowly changing his fortunes towards his favour. The Spanish international once again proved his undoubted talent when he came on during the second-half against England and slotted home the equaliser at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday evening, a goal which sees Julen Lopetegui maintain an unbeaten start since taking over the top job. More importantly, though, it was a performance which seemed to highlight an upward turn in form for a playmaker whose future at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu has been under intense scrutiny as of late. In his cameo, Isco was a constant threat and a reference point as La Roja looked to fightback from two goals down. On a domestic level, the injuries to key midfielders, most notably Luka Modric, has opened up a plethora of opportunities for the 24-year-old to prove his worth.
Aware of the wealth of talent around him, Isco claims that he is happy at the club despite the evident lack of opportunities. "I play in Real Madrid and the Spanish national side, teams in which the best players play. That is why I am already happy," he said. But his recent performances could prove to be a pivotal turning point in his career in Madrid, and could potentially be enough to force Zinedine Zidane's hand ahead of their derby clash on Saturday. "The important thing is that we all partner up well and without problems so that we can beat Atletico. My maxim is to take advantage of every minute that they allow me to play," said the midfielder.
Furthermore, despite playing in more advanced positions for Spain, evidenced by his goal against England, Isco reiterates that he is happy to play wherever the Real manager sees fit. "In Spain, I have achieved an important goal with helping the team avoid defeat," he added. "At Real Madrid, I'll play where the coach thinks I'm more effective. Despite speculation over his future, Isco is hopeful that he can extend his current contract with the club, which ends in the summer of 2018. "I am confident of closing out a deal soon," stated the Spaniard. "It does not take away much time for me and I hope I can continue many years in Real Madrid and, of course, in the national team."
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