Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari started Isco on the bench for their Copa del Rey triumph over Leganes.
Isco did enter the fray in the second-half, but it was another blow for the Spain international.
Solari said, "There are 24 players in the squad and a part of my job, not the most pleasant one, is to decide who plays."
Just over 44,000 attended the game, the lowest crowd of the season.
The coach added: "Real Madrid have hundreds of millions of fans around the world. Not everyone can come to the Bernabéu. Real Madrid is the global brand of football and there are always people watching and we always feel that they are with us."