Real Madrid: Isco is the Barcelona nightmare
Real Madrid’s Isco dominated Barcelona not once, but twice, in 2019-2020.
Consistency is the key to winning titles, and Real Madrid fans may have learned a harsh lesson in that in March when they fell 2-1 to Real Betis just a week after dominating Barcelona 2-0 in El Clasico.
But it is true that Clasicos are vital to winning the title, and there is nothing more satisfying to Madridistas – save for winning the title itself – than watching Los Blancos decimate their biggest rivals. It’s exactly what Real did in March at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Isco didn’t score in the match, as the goals were provided by the hard-working Vinicius Junior and the fairytale substitute Mariano Diaz. The Spanish international, however, was unlucky not to score, as only Marc Andre ter Stegen and a goal-line clearance from Gerard Pique denied him.
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Per WhoScored.com, the attacking midfielder recorded one key pass, drew one foul, had two dangerous shots, and completed three dribbles in an all-action display for Real Madrid.
His work in the attacking third meant everything to Real’s efforts, as he and Vinicius continually caused Barcelona’s overmatched defense issues.
Earlier in the 2019-2020 season, Real Madrid drew Barcelona 0-0 at the Camp Nou.
Although both sides shared the spoils, Real, to the viewer, outplayed their opponents. And Isco had a great game in that December clash, too. He recorded three dribbles completed, won two fouls, and set up a pair of key passes for his teammates.
Isco’s understanding of space, lovely flicks, majestic dribbling, and dangerous curled shots make him a huge weapon in big games. Whether it was Manchester City, Valencia, PSG, or both games against Barcelona, Isco made his presence felt on the big stage.
But since there’s no bigger stage than the Clasico, Isco’s dual performances against La Blaugrana stand out the most. He is a nightmare to Barcelona. And his success against Real’s arch rivals go further back than his two quality performances in 2019-2020.
In 2017-2018, Isco had an assist in the Spanish Supercup win over La Blaugrana. The year before, in his legendary 2016-2017 season for Los Blancos, Isco put on a passing masterclass with 43 of 46 passes completed, creating three shot attempts for his teammates, via FBRef.com.
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There are several players, such as defensive midfielder Casemiro and center back Raphael Varane, who are known for stepping up in Clasicos and playing critical roles in winning efforts. But on the attacking end, definitely put Isco on the list as someone who causes La Blaugrana plenty of problems. Isco sometimes gets overlooked now, but he remains a star for Real Madrid with the quality to take over in these big games.