KEY POINTS

  • Real Madrid’s Isco suffered an ankle injury that will sideline him for seven to 10 days
  • Isco may miss the La Liga opener against Real Sociedad
  • Players such as Martin Odegaard, Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio are expected to step up

The upcoming La Liga opener may feature one less key Real Madrid player. The versatile attacking midfielder Isco was reported to have suffered an ankle injury that may sideline him in their match against Real Sociedad.

The injury will keep the 28-year-old out of action for around seven to 10 days per Fansided’s The Real Champs. This means Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid must make the necessary adjustments if they want to kick off their La Liga defense well. The manner of how Isco has made an impact on the Santiago-Bernabeu based squad has been significant. In terms of the team’s strategy, Isco usually plays a pivotal role in the 4-3-3 formations.

Throughout his stint with Real Madrid, Isco has appeared in 307 games and has netted 51 goals to go along with 54 assists. The way he moves on the field serves as an advantage for his club as his presence helps facilitate the offensive attack. Scouted to be a strong passer, the Spanish star boasts a pass success rate of 89%. In addition to this, his dribbling skills are elite and like to stay aggressive while playing.

While his absence will be noticeable, this also means players such as Martin Odegaard, Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio may be given more playing time. These players have what it takes to step up for the team given their athleticism, youth and overall drive for the game. The opportunity to show Zidane and the rest of the Real Madrid faithful is something these young stars won’t take for granted.

The method of how Real Madrid has excelled for the past few seasons can be attributed to Zidane’s cerebral approach to the sport. With 11 total titles for Real Madrid, it will be interesting to see how he can add more to that tally. The previous La Liga season saw Zidane’s roster dominate their opponents and reign supreme across all of Spain.

It will be pivotal to see how Real Madrid will fare in their upcoming games. While they opted not to sign any major deals over the summer, they’re holding on to the skills and expertise of their lineup to lead them to victory.

Zinedine Zidane has won two La Liga titles and the Champions League three times as Real Madrid manager
Zinedine Zidane has won two La Liga titles and the Champions League three times as Real Madrid manager AFP / GABRIEL BOUYS