Can Isco finally deliver the brilliance fans have missed? After a season marred by injuries, Isco Alarcón has reclaimed his starring role, netting a brace against Osasuna and converting a penalty versus Porto in the Champions League, earning MVP honors just before facing league leaders Barça.
Although he ranks ninth in minutes played with 545, his influence is undeniable. Pellegrini has deployed him in all ten official matches alongside Valles, Antony, Riquelme and Deossa. He’s touched three goals and supplied an assist, trailing only Cucho Hernández in offensive output.
LALIGA Beyond Stats underline his importance: Isco tops Betis with 4.68 high‑impact actions per game, outpacing Antony’s 3.28 and Riquelme’s 2.48. The metric counts passes, dribbles or drives that create chances, putting him 43% ahead of the next teammate.
In my view, he ranks among LaLiga’s premier creators. He sits second league‑wide in passes that lead to shots, averaging 3.64 per match, just behind Arda Güler’s 5.85. He edges Dani Olmo (3.63) and Lamine Yamal (3.44) by a hair.
His set‑piece precision shines too. Half of his crosses find a teammate, the highest rate in the squad, while Cucho Hernández manages 33.3% and Pablo Fornals 27.3%.
He’s delivered 98 passes into the final third, mis‑sending only 27 – an accuracy near 78% in a high‑risk zone where each ball can break a line or spark a shot.
The contrast with last season is stark: injuries limited him to nine games, two starts, 241 minutes, one goal and one assist. Now he’s featured in ten matches, seven from the start, 545 minutes, three goals and an assist. Will his resurgence propel Betis to a historic start?