James Rodriguez’s career at Real Madrid is over
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is on the verge of making one of the most controversial decisions of his managerial career. The legendary Frenchman is considering dropping James Rodriguez from his Champions League final squad. Even more surprising is the fact that Zidane may never allow James to play for the club again.
Reports from Spain claim that James’ status with Los Blancos has reached a true crisis point. Zidane is giving strong consideration to placing the likes of Marco Asensio or Lucas Vazquez ahead of him in the club’s pecking order. That move could result in James being left out of the epic clash versus Juventus entirely.
If that happens, it’s hard to imagine a road of reconciliation between Zidane and the talented Colombian. James may not have excelled during his time with Real Madrid, but he certainly wasn’t a disaster. At worst, his time with the La Liga giants could be considered a disappointment. He did have limited moments of brilliance with the club.
Perhaps everyone should have seen this moment coming. There’s no question that Isco’s resurgence this year has put James on thin ice with management. In many ways, it was inevitable that one midfielder would become a star and one would be branded a failure. Prior to this season, most people expected Isco to be the star who would be jettisoned.
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James’ open flirtation with Manchester United earlier this year certainly didn’t help things. His representatives were behind numerous stories linking him with a big money move to England. In the end, United officials flatly denied that a move was ever close to completion. That sort of media ploy surely got under Zidane’s skin.
Fortunately for James, there will be quite a few clubs willing to take him on this summer. It’s not as if Real Madrid will be short of suitors. They may not achieve their dream of selling him for a profit, but his acquisition and subsequent sale won’t cost the club too much money. In particular, a club like PSG could certainly afford to make a big money move for James this summer.
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Still, it will be a bitter ending for James with his dream club. His time at Real Madrid should be a cautionary tale for other starlets who dream of a move to Los Blancos. The grass isn’t always greener where the kits are white.