Isco suffers fresh leg fracture in pre-season friendly

Real Betis playmaker Isco has been dealt another cruel injury blow after fracturing his left fibula during a pre-season friendly against Malaga on Saturday.

The La Liga club confirmed the news on Sunday via social media, revealing it was a “new non-displaced fracture to the middle third” of the same leg the 33-year-old injured in May 2024.

Isco had only returned to action last December, going on to inspire Betis to a sixth-place league finish, Europa League qualification, and even captaining them in the Europa Conference League final — a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea.

The former Real Madrid star’s resurgence also earned him a recall to the Spanish national team for the first time since 2019. He marked his comeback by scoring in the Nations League final against Portugal, though Spain lost in a penalty shootout.

This latest setback means Betis will likely begin their 2025/26 campaign without one of their most influential players.