Eto in peak form / Former Real Madrid star's revival: John Snow was real!

Isco is back to his peak days in the Real Betis lineup.

According to "Sports Three", when Betis announced that Isco was joining the team in July 2023, they referred to one of the most famous scenes in the Game of Thrones series: the resurrection scene of Jon Snow. In the video, which was inspired by the popular series, the Málaga player bounced back from a difficult period in his career and was determined to recapture the footballing talent he had inside.

More than three years later, that introduction seems to have taken on an almost prophetic meaning. Because Isco, who had already managed to be reborn in terms of football with the help of Manuel Pellegrini, had to do it all over again. This time, after a veritable period of injuries, surgeries and pain that even cast doubt on his future.

His display against Osasuna in La Cartuja, with two decisive goals that saw Betis take another three points and extend their excellent start to the season, was confirmation that the journey has been worthwhile for the Betis captain. Isco is smiling on the pitch again, enjoying the ball and impressing, and the stats are starting to show an improvement that goes far beyond emotion.

After just eight weeks out of La Liga and one game in the Champions League, the attacking midfielder has played 462 minutes in nine official matches, exactly the same number of games he played during last season, where injuries limited him to just 236 minutes. In other words, almost double the time on the field. He also tripled the number of games he started as a starter, from two to six, and improved his offensive stats: two goals and one assist, up from one goal and one assist all of last season. Three direct contributions to goals against two.

A difficult period of injuries and surgeries

To understand the value of this new version of Isco, we have to go back to May 2024. Just when he was at his best with Betis and had a chance at the Euros, a broken tibia against Las Palmas ruled him out. He had to undergo surgery and due to the problems in bone repair, he underwent a second surgery a few months later. He was unable to participate in the Euros, which Spain eventually won, and was sidelined for seven months.

He returned in December of that year and enjoyed a superb second half of the season, leading Betis to their first ever European final. Football smiled on him again and the national team's doors opened again for him to participate in the League of Nations, but in the end, the team led by Luis Delafuente lost to Portugal on penalties. But just when it looked like he had put that nightmare behind him for good, injuries hit him hard again.

In August 2025, in the last pre-season friendly match against his beloved team Málaga, David LaRobia's collision caused him to fracture his tibia again. Another injury in the same area as the one he suffered a year earlier, but unrelated to the previous one, has fully healed, as the club's medical team explained at the time. A new problem that prevented him from starting the season with his team and kept him out of action for more than three months.

He returned to action against Girona in November, with a view to playing in the derby the following week. But this happiness lasted only four days. In the next match, against Utrecht in the group stage of the Europa League, a collision with a teammate caused a serious injury to his right ankle and cartilage damage. Doctors initially suggested conservative treatment, but the pain persisted and he had to undergo a new surgery.

These months were full of uncertainty, problems in the recovery process and discomfort that complicated even the normal movements of a footballer. The cartilage condition and continued pain raised doubts about when he would return to the highest level of competition, and not only that, as he later admitted, the uncertainty even extended to the possibility that he might not be able to play professional football again.

A pre-season training period and three crucial weeks

The efforts made over the summer were essential to start overcoming those frustrations. Isco was able to participate in pre-season training with the team, gradually regaining his senses and strengthening the ankle that had affected his performance for a long time. Pegherini and his coaching staff carefully managed his efforts, aware of the importance of avoiding too much pressure after a long period of inactivity.

A recent break of three weeks in late September and early October due to the national team's international matches was another important stimulus for him. Without the pressure of the competition, this player from Málaga was able to deepen his physical fitness in daily training with his teammates and take another step towards his best version. The version that was displayed yesterday in the game against the opposing team.

His double was decisive. He scored first from the penalty spot and then came on again when Osasuna, trailing by three goals, threatened to mount an unexpected comeback. But his impact on the game went far beyond the two goals he scored. According to Opta data, Isco completed 41 of 43 passes with 95.3% accuracy and 16 forward passes. In the 74 minutes he played, he made six shots, won two duels and recovered five balls without losing the ball.

This performance showed both his ability to make a difference in the final areas of the pitch and his increasing role in organizing play, moving into the center of the pitch to slot in between the two defensive midfielders and give pace and direction to his team's play. Betis is gradually rediscovering in him a player who is able to interpret every game, manage the timing and appear when the team needs him most.

Pegherini, who played a key role in the different phases of the football recovery of this Malaga player, also expressed his satisfaction after the game: "I am very happy." He suffered from two serious injuries that prevented him from reaching his best level. He feels less pain every day and we don't put too much pressure on him. "He is almost 100% ready and he showed it today."

Those comments confirm both the player's physical improvement and the caution the coaching staff is using in managing his efforts, giving him minutes and key games, but not full games at this time. Because the goal is not just for Isco to shine again in a particular match, but for him to maintain the continuity and consistency on the pitch that injuries have robbed him of for so long.

And although the first goal is to fully recover his best level with Betis, Isco is not giving up on wearing the shirt of the Spanish national team again, and wants to make up for the Euros that La Roja won and he was unable to participate. He admitted this in an interview with Sport a few days ago, admitting that it would be difficult to return to Luis Delafuente's team, but left the door open for a re-invitation.

Isco's emotional message to the fans

Isco, who opened his eyes in his Game of Thrones-inspired introduction in 2023 and, against all odds, managed to recapture the best version of himself, the one that saw him shine at Malaga, become an international star and win it all at Real Madrid, is on the rise again. And after all that surgery, months of recovery and pain, Bettis is enjoying his magic on the field again. This is great news for Betis fans and for La Liga as well.