James Rodriguez found himself on the bench throughout one of Real Madrid's most important games of the year, El Clásico.
Despite injuries to Gareth Bale or Toni Kroos, the Colombian midfielder has been sidelined again during the entire game. He was not used as a starter and not part of the substitutes used either. Casemiro, Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz Mejía were substituted instead by Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. Again, the Clásico became another important match where Zidane showed his lack of trust to Rodriguez.
The Colombian international hit the gym and trained alone after Real Madrid's draw with Barca. When the players were dropped off at the Valdebebas training facility, most of them met up with their families and friends. But not for James Rodriguez, who showed off his grit and determination in a tough circumstance.
Radamel Falcao, a Colombian striker for Monaco, also commented on James Rodriguez's lack of playing time and said, "When you do not play, you are not happy. It is normal for players - it has happened to me."
It's not only his compatriots who were unhappy for him, but even Lionel Messi exchanged a few words with James Rodriguez recently and advised him to look for other options elsewhere. Apparently, the two met at the tunnel on the way to the dressing room, according to the sources who have seen them. Lionel Messi's advice for the Colombian midfielder is the same as Francisco Maturana.
James Rodriguez cannot afford to be sidelined at the benches for the rest of his career, given his talent and potential. James Rodriguez should now take look at the offers coming his way and leave for a club that can allow him to prosper.