The tension between Real Madrid playmaker Isco and coach Santiago Solari is growing by the day, but the playmaker has found backing in the form of compatriot Nacho.

Isco has been dropped from the Real squad repeatedly, but the Los Blancos defender believes his team-mate is a vital player, and has encouraged the midfielder to keep working hard.

“Isco is important for the team,” Nacho said in an interview with beIN Sports. “He is one of the most important players on the team and he has to keep working.”

Nacho believes that Isco must make a statement on either the pitch or training field and convince Solari to pick him.

“The coach is with him and when he is on the field, he has to make a statement,” he added.

“It’s normal, he has had several games that he was not a starter for. We were all in the same line-up and if we had not qualified it would have been a catastrophe.”