In the opening round of La Liga, Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 away win over Real Sociedad. Yet despite several absences among the regular starters in midfield and attack, one player’s mood was far from celebratory—James Rodríguez once again found himself stuck on the bench, only entering the game in the 78th minute.

During the UEFA Super Cup earlier this season, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Luka Modrić, and Toni Kroos were all left out of the starting lineup. Even then, James was only given the third substitution slot, becoming the final player Zinedine Zidane brought on. His frustration was evident—when Dani Carvajal scored the match-winner, James showed no emotion and refused to join in the celebrations. Against Real Sociedad, his situation worsened. With Ronaldo, Benzema, and Modrić all absent from the squad, Álvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, and Mateo Kovačić started in their place. James was still the third substitute to be used, with Lucas Vázquez and Isco both coming on ahead of the Colombian playmaker.

Zidane’s tactical setup does not rely on a traditional central attacking midfielder, and James’s all-round game and balance are considered inferior to that of Isco or Asensio. Moreover, Zidane has long been dissatisfied with James’s perceived lack of defensive effort. While Zidane has no plans to make him a key figure, James is also unlikely to leave. According to Spanish daily AS, Chelsea submitted a €70 million bid for James, but Real Madrid’s hierarchy informed him he would be staying. A major factor in this decision is Cristiano Ronaldo—both are represented by agent Jorge Mendes and share a close personal friendship. Ronaldo reportedly pushed for James to remain at the club. Still, spending most of the season on the bench is far from ideal for James’s career trajectory.

By contrast, Mateo Kovačić—who was largely ignored by Zidane last season—has started both of Real Madrid’s first two competitive matches of the new campaign. With Modrić’s advancing age, Kovačić is expected to get more opportunities this season. AC Milan had expressed interest in signing him, but club CEO Adriano Galliani revealed that Florentino Pérez made it clear Kovačić is not for sale.

For football followers who also keep an eye on Live Cricket BPL updates, James’s situation is a reminder that talent alone doesn’t always guarantee playing time—just as in Live Cricket BPL, where even star players might wait on the sidelines if team strategy demands it. His fight for a starting spot will be one of the subplots to watch this season, and like a tense run chase in Live Cricket BPL, patience and seizing the right moment could determine whether James turns his fortunes around.