Isco warns that he has to work to win the place in Madrid

Real Madrid vice-captain Marcelo has asked his team-mate Isco to get down to work and work hard after being dropped by coach Santi Solari.

The Spanish international and four-time Champions League winner, Isco, was not even on the bench for Group G's 2-0 win in Rome, and Solari refused to explain his omission beyond saying it had been a "sporting decision".

Isco looked unhappy on his arrival at the Stadio Olimpico pre-match, and then confirmed "there was no physical problem" as he crossed the mixed zone without stopping.

Marcelo stopped to talk to reporters after the victory that ensured Madrid's victory over the group, and said that it was incumbent on Isco himself to correct a "mistake" and "to make a mistake". improve the situation.

"I'm not the only one giving advice," he said. "We are adults, fathers, we know what we have to do, all players want to play, but we have to work, it's the same for all players, you have to work. not that it is not working, but football is like that, to see that you are making a mistake and improving. "

Isco started the season in Madrid under the orders of his former coach Julen Lopetegui, who greatly supported the former Malaga player when they were together in the Spanish national team, until the end of the season. what a problem of annexes appeared at the end of September.

The 26-year-old's first start on form was in 5-1 Clasico defeat in Barcelona, ​​which was the last match of Lopetegui in charge. He did not participate in any of Solari's six games, totaling only 82 minutes.

Asked about the situation on Movistar TV after the match, the director of Institutional Relations of Madrid, Emilio Butragueno, said that "these are technical decisions that Solari must take, we do not address them".

Solari said at the post-match press conference that he had made his selection decisions solely on sporting criteria.

"These are calls you make at some point," he said. "We are here to do that, nothing else, it was a sporting decision, nothing else, there are no starters or substitutes in football." to all players to be 100%, then the coaches choose them. "