Isco destined to start Champions League final for Real Madrid ahead of Gareth Bale
Spanish midfielder so influential that Bernabeu sources say he'll face Juventus - even if Welsh star Bale beats calf injury
ISCO looks certain to start the Champions League final for Real Madrid - even if Gareth Bale is fit.
It means that Welsh wizard Bale, battling a calf injury, will sit on the bench at best at his beloved Millennium Stadium in less than a week.
Sources close to the Bernabeu say Isco's influence on the Real midfield is such that he is a must to face Juventus.
The Andalusian has played in 41 matches and only one of those ended in defeat.
Coincidentally, that was the second leg loss of the successful Champions League semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid in which his goal set up the date with the Italian champions.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
Real's three La Liga defeats were all without the midfielder on the pitch, which means that Isco has not tasted a league defeat in his past 40 outings - 25 wins and five draws in 2016/17.
It is a run of invincibility in LaLiga which sees him close in on Emilio Butragueno's record of 50.
And it was a similar story in the Copa del Rey, when he didn't come off the bench in the ultimately costly 2-1 home defeat against Celta Vigo.
So Bale finds himself under pressure both to get fit and be selected for Cardiff simply because Isco's performances over the past few months have helped earn so many three-point hauls.
And they've made his place in Zinedine Zidane's starting line-up almost untouchable.
Real need his inventiveness for Juventus have conceded just three goals in their 12 matches this European season.