In a recent interview with Movistar Fútbol, former Real Madrid man Isco Alarcon reflected on his nine years at the club.
Despite leaving Santiago Bernabeu with a well-stocked trophy cabinet featuring an impressive 19 titles, including five UEFA Champions League cups, Isco's final years in Madrid were not as bright.
The midfielder kept on spending more and more hours on the bench. During the 18/19 campaign, he only played four games with a full 90 minutes on the pitch, and the situation got progressively worse up until his final season in a white shirt.
Competing with the iconic trio of Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, Isco struggled to secure a spot in the starting lineup.
After parting ways with Los Blancos in summer '22, the player faced an unsuccessful stint at Sevilla that saw his contract terminated after just six months. Another six-month period without a club followed, but his fortune changed when he signed with Betis last summer.
Undergoing a career revival, Isco has already bagged 11 goal contributions in 27 games for the Andalusian side, including an impressive brace against Barca last Sunday.
Reflecting on his challenging journey, Isco candidly admitted to Movistar: "I was so angry back then. I thought it was everyone's fault but mine. But time gives you perspective.. Now I realize there are things I could've done differently and should've fought more for my spot. At that moment, I was lost and didn't want to prove myself. I constantly felt down, lacking the mental strength to reverse the situation. I felt like a victim, and I actually wasn't."
It's heartening to see our former player muster enough mental strength to turn things around. His comeback in Spanish football has been a true delight for the eyes.
