Isco’s odyssey in Seville: “Monchi attacked me, he grabbed me by the neck”

His time at Sevilla lasted a few more months, until January. He parted ways with the club after playing only 19 games and traveled to Berlin to sign for the humble Unión. Surprisingly, and after the images of his medical examination were leaked, the deal between the German club and the player was broken.

Isco has been without a team since then and is in the hands of a psychologist who takes care of his mental health. One year after signing for Sevilla, the Arroyo de la Miel player breaks his silence and uncovers the ordeal he suffered in Nervión in an interview with Marca, the first in five years to the sports press in this country.

Brief step through Seville

In a conversation between the footballer and the journalist, Isco only demands that the interview be published as is, “without editing or altering the order of the questions and answers.” And so it is done.

Reviewing his last year in chronological order, Isco remembers the moment when everything went wrong: «When Lopetegui leaves and the winter market window approaches, I see many strange things within the club (Sevilla). To begin with, they called my representative to find a way out for me, without previously discussing anything with me, so as soon as I found out I went to speak directly with Monchi. I told him: ‘Hey, this has come to me, I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t know if you love me, if you don’t love me… Be honest with me and we’ll fix it without problems. I’m at your service'”.

The famous sports director of Sevilla, who this summer has separated from the club towards the Premier League, opened the door for Isco. According to the man from Malaga, Monchi “was saying that I wanted to leave, something that was not true, and he began to call both me and my lawyer every day, harassing us to sign the termination.”

The following conversation between the two took place on the way to the changing rooms after a training session. “I told him that he was the most deceitful person I had ever met in the world of football and he attacked me. He came towards me, he grabbed me by the neck, we moved away and they had to separate us completely, “says Isco. At that moment, the footballer says that he makes the decision to leave Sevilla. “I could not be comfortable in a club where the sports director attacks me and nobody speaks up or apologizes.”

Isco forgave his contract, according to what he revealed, and disassociated himself from Sevilla. Although the official version of the start has little to do with reality, as the footballer assures. «It is not as it is being said in many places, especially in the Seville press, where it is said that I got off the ship. Not much less. That is not in my mentality. I have been at Real Madrid for many years and I have never given up, I have always tried to fight for a place, sometimes I have succeeded, other times not… But getting off the boat in this life, never ».

Transfer frustrated by the Union Berlin

Isco had a new opportunity to relaunch his career in the winter market. Then there was already talk that the player was in poor shape but his agent Jorge Mendes got him an offer from the Bundesliga. Unión Berlin, a humble team from the capital, aspired to end the campaign in European positions and wanted to reinforce the squad with experienced players. The chosen one, Isco.

So the man from Malaga agreed everything with the Union and traveled to Germany to pass the medical examination and sign the contract. But in a matter of hours, everything fell apart. «Upon arrival, I was received by a person from the club. It was all done. I take the photos, a greeting to the camera… The typical thing. And we made an appointment for the next day to do the medical examination. In the morning, in the car to the hospital, they tell me: ‘In the end we can’t register you in Europe’. And he answered: ‘Are you telling me now?’ His response was that they tried to the end and that it couldn’t be, so that’s fine… I passed the medical examination, which I passed, although many people questioned it… On my way to sign the contract I they call again. ‘Hey, in the end it’s not this amount… It’s less’. And I, for the second time, once again accept those changes that were not in the pre-agreement for which I flew to Germany. But after ten minutes, they call me a third time saying that the amount for the coming season is not that of the contract either and that it must be reviewed. And I already stood up ».

Isco decided to return to Spain: «It was disrespectful. I am not 18 years old, nor is it the first contract that I have signed, so I said that I did not sign that way ».

mental health problems

Isco’s last months had been chaos. So the footballer decided to put the brake on. «I felt that after everything that had happened I needed to disconnect, clear my head… Mentally I was not prepared for another move, another project… I felt that I needed to stop, do therapy, order my mind, order my life, my thoughts …»

Now he claims to feel better, although he continues with his visits to the psychologist, according to what he reveals. «I want to play football, to have fun, to compete, to show that I have good years of football left. I want to forget the bad experiences I’ve had and focus on the good ones to come.”

For months he has been training from Monday to Friday in a training center, waiting for the right offer: «I don’t want to make a mistake or take another false step in my career. The important thing is that I still have the illusion intact. I want to play, to compete, to have fun and I look forward to the moment to return ». What is the ideal team? «A project in which it can have continuity, a team that wants to play football with a fun, associative style. (…) I am young and I have many years of football at a good level left. Now it’s my turn to prove it.”