You know football stars and their usual excuses for failures – it was the coach’s fault, teammates didn’t like him, the board had high demands, the fans were impatient, etc.However, Isco Alarcon is built differently.The former Real Madrid and Spain creative midfielder is unlike most footballers. Talking to France Football, the 33-year-old Real Betis player admitted he’s the only one to blame for his failure at the Santiago Bernabeu. Isco full of praise for AntonyHe won countless trophies, including several Champions League trophies with Los Blancos during his nine-year tenure, but those last few seasons, Isco fell down the pecking order due to Carlo Ancelotti’s decision and was only a shadow of his former self.Asked about his Real Madrid departure, he said:”Some coaches appreciate you more than others – that’s football. After a while, things became more complicated for me in Madrid. When you’re not doing well mentally, it shows in your game. I was going through a rough patch, both professionally and personally. I didn’t know how to bounce back. I’m the only one responsible for my failure,” he admitted.Ancelotti really knows how to handle big names, this is Isco who has barely played any minutes laughing and joking with him. Now I get why Ancelotti is so popular amongst the players. pic.twitter.com/NKNYr3CEI7— WolfRMFC (@WolfRMFC) April 20, 2022 Betis’ coach Manuel Pellegrini reinvented Isco as a playmaker. They reunited at Benito Villamarin after their first successful cooperation in 2011 at Malaga.”That position is disappearing, but Pellegrini gave me the opportunity in Malaga in 2011, along with confidence and affection. And here it’s the same. I’m lucky to have a coach who believes in the number 10 role. He advises me to always stay close to the ball and gives me a lot of freedom of movement. Also, this season, for the first time, I’ve been named captain, which is a great honor.””Engineer” who turned a wreck into a race carInterestingly, Isco claims that he never prepares for his games (!?).”I never prepare for my matches, I’m not someone who studies the opponent. Once I’m on the pitch, I analyze everything. I look for the ideal area to receive the ball and hurt the opposition. Depending on what I sense, I adjust my position. The idea is to pull the number 6 out of position. When I see he’s sticking too close to me, I move away from the play, drift toward the wing. If he follows me, he leaves space for a teammate. It’s about feeling the game and adapting. Same with dribbling – I go by instinct. My head knows what the game requires.”##NAJAVA_MECA_9019207##Finally, what is his ultimate goal in football?”My last goal? That I be the one to retire from football, and not the other way around. Right now, I’m experiencing one of the best moments of my career. I feel very loved at Betis by my teammates and by the fans.”
