Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane insists the club have no intention of selling Isco after the playmaker appeared to take a swipe on the Frenchman following his hat-trick for Spain in midweek.
The playmaker was in sensational form for his country, scoring three times in the 6-1 victory over Argentina on Tuesday night. The 25-year-old then told media after the friendly that his superb performance was down to Julen Lopetegui’s confidence in him.
Isco has seen his club football limited under Zidane this season but the 45-year-old says the Spaniard is an integral member of his squad.
“He’s a Real Madrid player and he’s going to stay here. He’s a player I like,” he said of the player who along with Sergio Ramos will miss Saturday’s La Liga game against Las Palmas due to minor injuries. “I saw it (the hat-trick and I was very happy about it.
“I’m not unfair on him. And he’s happy. Maybe he hasn’t been enjoying as central a role here [as he has with Spain], but I’ve always made it clear to him that he’s important.”
Los Blancos will be strong favourites to register their fourth league win on the trot against a lowly Las Palmas side who are winless in their last five matches.
And with the first-leg Champions League quarter-final against Juventus looming on Tuesday, Zidane insists the game is crucial for their preparations.
“It’s an important game for us, even if Tuesday [when Real face Juventus in the Champions League] is also on our minds,” he said. “To prepare well for the game in Turin, we have to do well tomorrow.
“We’ll go there aiming to put in a good display and whoever we take will need to be on their game.”
