It used to be a case of 'no Isco, no disco' at Real Madrid. Now there's a broken-record feel to his prolonged absence from the starting line-up.
His tweet this week, in which he complained about a lack of opportunities, roused a few of his most ardent supporters but after Santiago Solari engineered a draw at the Nou Camp and has the team on an upward curve in La Liga the outrage at him being left out is increasingly muted.
Former Real Madrid player Ruben de la Red had tweeted earlier this week: 'Isco has to understand that Madrid waits for no one.'
It used to be a case of 'no Isco, no disco' at Real Madrid before Santiago Solari took charge
But Solari's resistance in playing Isco has led to better not worse results at the Bernabeu
Isco responded: 'Totally in agreement with De la Red but when you don't enjoy the same opportunities as your team-mates the thing changes.'
Does he have a point? Certainly his minutes in the first team have been massively reduced under Solari. He ranks 21st in the squad in terms of time on the pitch since the Argentinian coach took over. Only Vallejo, Mariano and Brahim Diaz are playing less.
And it's also true that in a brief appearance in Real Madrid's last league win he played a sublime pass in the build-up to the team's third goal.
But Solari's resistance in playing Isco has led to better not worse results. Real Madrid without Isco in the side play with greater intensity, defend better and are offensively more direct.
Ruben de la Red tweeted this week: 'Isco has to understand that Madrid waits for no one'
Isco responding in kind and complained about a lack of opportunities at the club
Lucas Vazquez – one of those consistently ahead of him in the pecking order – has been one of the team's best players since the turn of the year.
Isco supporters have pointed to the way, despite Marcelo's apparent cliff-edge drop in form and fitness, he still featured in the starting line-up on Wednesday at the Nou Camp.
But there are two reasons why it's unfair to accuse Solari of double standards. Firstly there seems to be some sort of royal decree that means a game of cup semi-final importance must have Marcelo starting.
'He's the club captain' was Solari's telling post-match comment on a player who he clearly has lost faith in judging from the way 23-year-old Sergio Reguilon is now the first-choice left-back in the league.
Only three players at Real Madrid have featured in fewer minutes than Isco under Solari
Without Isco Real Madrid have greater intensity, defend better and are offensively more direct
And secondly, if there is some unspoken rule that means Marcelo must play in certain games – as unfair as that may be – it can at least be said that after a decade of service playing more games and winning more medals than almost any other overseas player he has deserved some
