Real Madrid vs. Betis: A Clash Marked by Absences

This afternoon, Real Madrid and Betis will meet at the Santiago Bernabéu in what has become yet another crucial match for Xabi Alonso ahead of the Supercopa de España. Unfortunately, both teams will be without some of their most significant players: Kylian Mbappé for Real Madrid and Isco Alarcón for Betis.

For Isco, a visit to the stadium that once felt like home, now dressed in green and white, appears to be an elusive dream. Since moving to Heliópolis following his unsuccessful stint at Sevilla, where he did have the chance to compete at Concha Espina, injuries have prevented him from stepping onto the pitch against his former team during Betis’s visits. He did, however, face his old club at Benito Villamarín on two occasions, resulting in one draw and one win, but his return to ‘home’ as a Betis player will have to wait.

In his inaugural season with Betis, Isco suffered a fractured fibula at the Estadio de Gran Canaria just weeks before his team was set to conclude the league season against Real Madrid. On that day, despite having recently undergone surgery and still wearing a protective orthopedic boot, he insisted on being with his team to bid farewell from the stands to his long-time teammate at Real Madrid, Toni Kroos. Television footage captured him first conversing with Bellingham in the tunnel and later applauding the German.

Isco missed the Euro Cup due to that injury, but expectations were high for his return at the start of the following season when his team was scheduled to visit the Bernabéu in early September. However, during preseason, medical staff identified a complication with the healing of his fibula fracture, where the bone callus had not formed properly. This required another surgical procedure, effectively resetting his recovery timeline. He was unable to return to play until early December.

Now, for the third time since Isco joined Betis, he is absent due to another injury. This latest setback occurred at the beginning of last month during an unfortunate incident with his teammate Amrabat, resulting in a tibia injury and subsequent ankle issues. He underwent arthroscopic surgery last Monday, with an undefined timeline for his return. Once again, physical challenges have kept the Malagueño from stepping onto the pitch of his former stadium while donning Betis colors. His long-awaited return will have to be postponed.