"Isco, Isco, Isco," was the chant that rang around the Estadio Benito Villamarn on Sunday night, as the midfielder was given a standing ovation when substituted off during Real Betis' 3-0 victory over Valencia CF. The Bticos had just witnessed another stellar display from the 31-year-old, who is undoubtedly back to his best.
While he didn't score in the team's convincing win against Valencia CF, Isco's first club, he did hit the woodwork with one long-range strike and then make a direct impact on the scoreboard with an assist. It was Isco's corner that Marc Roca headed in for the team's second goal of the night at the beginning of the second half. "Isco is a magician, the cross was a delight," Roca stated afterwards.
This time last year, Isco was playing across the city for Sevilla FC. However, it didn't work out at the Estadio Ramn Snchez-Pizjun and the two parties agreed to terminate his contract during the pause for the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar. As such, when Isco signed with Real Betis during the summer, to link up again with his former Mlaga CF coach Manuel Pellegrini, he hadn't played since November 13th 2022.
For a player with such innate talent, that didn't matter. When he stepped out exactly nine months later to make his competitive debut for Real Betis away at Villarreal CF, on August 13th 2023, Isco was so brilliant that he was named the MVP of the match, which Los Verdiblancos won 2-1. That was just the beginning, as the Spaniard already has five MVP awards to his name this campaign.
Looking at his stats for the season as a whole, there are several that stand out. Isco ranks second in LALIGA EA SPORTS for key passes per game, with 3.1. He added four of these key passes in the victory over Valencia CF and is only behind Iago Aspas of RC Celta (3.6). The Spaniard is also second in the competition for expected assists, having reached a value of 2.18, meaning he is only behind the 2.98 of Girona FC's Svio.
Heat map of Isco's movements against Valencia CF this weekend
Speaking about his return in a post-match interview with DAZN, Isco discussed very openly how he worked with a professional on his mental health to be able to return in the best conditions possible.
He explained: "I went through some difficult moments. In the end, I decided to stop for a while because I needed to. I needed to recycle myself mentally. I have had help, with family support and psychological support. In the end, mental health is very important, and we have to give it more awareness. Now, I am feeling good. The truth is that I'm very happy to be at a club like Real Betis. The welcome from fans, teammates and the coach has been very good and the truth is that I feel very happy."
The best may still be to come for Isco and Real Betis. As coach Pellegrini pointed out after Sunday's win over Valencia CF, he hasn't yet been able to line up Isco and Nabil Fekir together because of the Frenchman's injury. But, Pellegrini is clear that Isco is not just a placeholder until Fekir's return. His plan is to deploy both these playmakers together, and that will provoke nightmares for defenders across LALIGA EA SPORTS.