Isco booed by Real Madrid fans on humiliating night at the Bernabeu

Isco turned angrily towards the fans and shouted: "What do you want?"
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Ben Hayward13 December 2018

Wednesday night brought a fresh catastrophe for Real Madrid and the fans took out their frustrations on one man in particular: Isco.

In the second half of their Champions League clash at home to CSKA Moscow, Isco received the ball at the far post from Vinicius Junior and looked certain to score. But instead of shooting, he waited and then cut the ball back before seeing his eventual effort blocked.

The Santiago Bernabeu responded with whistles and boos for the midfielder and after that, he was jeered by the home fans every time he touched the ball.

That is nothing new here, of course, with players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale booed in recent seasons and legends like Alfredo Di Stefano having received similar treatment in the past.

If anything, though, this is a sign of the midfielder’s fall from grace and is the latest low for a player who has barely been picked by new coach Santiago Solari in recent weeks.

Isco turned angrily towards the fans and shouted: “What do you want?” The answer, surely is pretty clear: they want, and also expect, better than this.

AP

For the European champions to lose 3-0 at home to a team that finished bottom of the group and will not even drop down into the Europa League is unacceptable for this Madrid side, even in a dead rubber.

Taking it out on Isco was unfair, but the midfielder was not alone: when the referee blew for full-time, whistles rang around the stadium. Not only for him, but for the whole team.

Real had started the night with a few bright moments from Vinicius and Marco Asensio, but they failed to find a way through and instead, went in two goals down at the break.

Gareth Bale replaced Karim Benzema for the second period but if anything, Madrid were even worse and in the end, they deserved no better than their 3-0 loss.

Afterwards, coach Santiago Solari admitted his side had been poor and also took responsibility for a team selection which saw Jesus Vallejo and Javi Sanchez paired together at the back for a Champions League game, with an unfit Marcelo on the left.

“Nobody likes the whistles,” Solari said. “But we didn’t play well and we have to assume that.”

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And asked about Isco's spat with the fans, he said: “I didn’t see that part. It’s frustrating to lose at home and it’s not what he had hoped for. The fans express themselves that way because they don’t like result. And nor do we.”

The Argentine’s press conference concluded with a question about whether he believes his team plays badly and another asking whether his side should not be better organised after this loss and also the 3-0 defeat to Eibar last month.

“Every game is different,” he said. “We played well today for 35 minutes, but after their goals, we didn’t respond well.

AFP/Getty Images

“I assume the risks of the line-up and that is my responsibility. I consider it’s necessary to give minutes to the youngsters and those coming back from injuries. We hoped for a different result and I’m responsible…”

The journalist who had asked the question tried to insist on the part about whether the team is disorganised, but Solari got up and left.

Jeered off the pitch at the Bernabeu and with some tension in the press room, this was a backwards step for the coach, for Isco and for the whole team following some good results in the past few weeks.

AFP/Getty Images

While it may not have any bearing on the Champions League because Madrid had already sealed top spot in Group G, the result and nature of this performance will see doubts creep back in for the European champions.

And when the competition resumes for the knockout phase in February, displays like this one really will not be good enough.

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