The year 2025 which is coming to an end has not been an ordinary year for Isco. Contrast time for Captain of Bétis. A first half with increasing performance. Contribute to important victories for the green and white team … and have the opportunity to play in a continental final. His return to Spanish national team. Expectations were high for the 25-26 academic year. However, an injury suffered in early August during a pre-season friendly stopped the Betic captain dead in his tracks. And his return in mid-November lasted only a breath. Isco bids farewell to 2025 as he recovers from collision with teammate Amrabat during the Europa League match against Utrecht. While waiting to know a precise return date, Betis is still waiting for a real reference in the team’s compositions. Manuel Pellegrini.
A start of excitement
On January 4, Betis played its first official match of the year 2025. The green and white captain was his name in the away match against Huesca. A solitary goal from the midfielder meant the victory of the Betic team in the match corresponding to the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. Nearly a month had passed since his return to the green and white formations. On December 7, during a La Liga match, Isco played the final stage of the Betis-Barcelona match. He returned after seven months without competing due to a fractured fibula suffered in mid-May, an injury that occurred with less than a month remaining before the start of the European National Team Cup. At the end of 2024, a new panorama was visible for Isco. In the last match of the year in which he started, he again wore the captain’s armband and scored, from the penalty spot, the green and white goal of the match against Rayo Vallecano played at Benito Villamarín (1-1).
Isco, during Real Betis-Real Madrid of LaLiga 24-25
Goals and assists
Isco found continuity in the lineups. His contribution was important in the progress of the Betic team. There were several examples. Green and white triumphs that bore their mark. Like the day he scored Betis’ two goals, including one from the penalty spot, against Getafe (1-2). The next day, Isco played a key role in the green and white team’s comeback against Real Madrid. Johnny completed an assist from the Betic captain on a corner to make the score 1-1. Already in the second half, Isco converted a penalty and made the score 2-1. It is a Betis who signed a streak of six consecutive victories in the First Division championship. The green and white team lost 2-0 against Leganés after more than an hour of play had already been played. Shortly after, a goal from Isco from eleven meters marked the start of a comeback (2-3) which culminated with a shot from Cucho Hernández in an action in which Antony and Isco participated.
Isco controls the ball in Conference League Betis-Jagiellonia 24-25
The 18th out of 18 points ended in a match of the highest importance, the second Sevillian derby of the season. As in the previous match against Leganés, with the return of the green and white team to the scoreboard. When Sevilla visited, Johnny equalized and just before half-time Cucho made the final score 2-1 after an assist from Isco. The captain’s contribution went beyond the first division championship. He crossed borders to also stand out on the Betic path through the Conference League. Watch Bakambu in the 0-3 draw against La Gantoise. And his own name in the round of 16 against Vitoria de Guimaraes. Goal in the draw (2-2) of the first leg at Benito Villamarín. On the return, a long pass that Antony led to a goal and a few minutes later to the captain’s shot after an assist from the Brazilian footballer to close the victory for Betis (0-4). On 28 May, Isco was part of the green and white team’s starting lineup for the tournament final against Chelsea. He provided a measured pass to Abde in the goal which opened the scoring in the first minutes of the match. In the second half, the English team came back and won (1-4).
Return to selection
Isco’s performance was on the rise and his name came up when talking about the Spanish team. Finally, there was a reunion. The green and white footballer was one of the 26 called up for the last four of the Nations League. Isco, who made his debut for Spain in February 2013 and had not featured with the senior team since June 2019, was given his chance again. The midfielder didn’t get any minutes in the win over France in the semi-final. Three days later, in the final against Portugal, Isco was again a substitute although this time he had a few minutes. He replaced Pedri with a quarter of an hour to go, in the 90th minute of a match that went into extra time with a score of 2-2. In the next 30 minutes there were no more goals and the match was decided on penalties. Isco scored the third shot for the Spanish team. Finally, Portugal won the 2025 edition of the Nations League. On the not too distant horizon looms the next big event for the team led by Luis de la Fuente, the World Cup. In November, when Isco’s return to the Betic team was very close, Spain officially certified its qualification for the tournament which will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada starting next June 11 at the Cartuja stadium.
Braking in summer
Isco was entering his third season as a Betic player when his career came to a serious halt. On 9 August, during a friendly match against Malaga, just over a week before the official start of the Betic team’s season, Isco suffered a non-displaced fracture of the middle third of his left fibula. As the captain recovered from his injury, the green and white team played a total of 17 official matches. Twelve in the First Division championship, four in the Europa League and in the first round of the Copa del Rey. The balance sheet leaves eight games won by Betis, seven draws and two defeats for the green and white team. Sunday November 23 was the day he returned to football.
Moment Isco renewal announced ahead of Betis-Girona
A fleeting return
The time has come. 13th day of La Liga, during the visit of Girona to the Cartuja stadium. Day of emotions. Isco was once again part of the green and white team and a few minutes before the start of the match, his contract extension was announced until June 2028. Ovation in the stands. At game time, another image. Isco returned to the field to replace Fornals. At that time, the green and white team lost 0-1. A quarter of an hour later, the tie broke when Valentín Gómez headed in a corner taken by Isco. It looked like a real turning point in the season was about to happen. However, the effect was short-lived.
Isco, when being replaced at Betis-Utrecht in the Europa League
Four days later, as the first Sevillian derby of the season approached, Betis hosted Utrecht on the fifth day of the Europa League. Everything happened in the first moments. In an image that quickly went around the football world. The clash between Isco and Amrabat as they searched for a ball on the edge of the box left the green and white players offside and with no options to continue. Start again. Tomorrow will be a month since what happened. The timing of the captain’s return to Pellegrini’s team remains to be confirmed. The most immediate for the Betic team, after the return of football after the Christmas holidays, will be the visit to the Santiago Bernabéu. Since arriving at Heliópolis in the summer of 2023, Isco has not had the opportunity to play as a green and white player at Chamartín. The draw (0-0) at the end of La Liga 23-24 came a few days after the fractured fibula suffered by the midfielder and the defeat of the green and white team (2-0) at the start of La Liga 24-25 took place while he was recovering from his injury.
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