Just 90 minutes before Real Madrid's match at Zaragoza, the Blancos substitutes stood on the pitch, conversing amongst themselves. Marca has today reported that the players' conversation was captured by a television camera, revealing the players' discontent with their supplementary roles, with Esteban Granero most expressive of his displeasure.
In a series of comments in which the young Spaniard declared his disappointment with having gone from midfield starter to bench warmer, Malian international Mahamadou Diarra tried to lift his team-mate's spirits. "Look at me: in one year I have played six matches. Take them as they come until May 15; there are 22 days left."
Diarra also encouraged his team-mate to keep working for a starting position, reminding Granero that "everyone begins the season on equal ground". But the defensive midfielder's comments did not seem to assuage Granero, who countered: "But no one is injured," to which Diarra acknowledged, along with Lassana Diarra and Karim Benzema: "Yes, yes, that is true."
Granero won a place in coach Manuel Pellegrini's side for five consecutive matches against Valladolid, Sporting de Gijon, Getafe, Atletico de Madrid and Racing, before being inexplicably dropped by the Chilean coach ahead of El Clasico, and has not seen the pitch since, save for 10 minutes of play against Valencia.
In Granero's stead, Fernando Gago has been handed a starting midfield role, while Lassana Diarra and Mahamadou Diarra continue to spend much of their time on the bench. Possibilities may open up, with both Raul and Rafael van der Vaart suffering season-ending injuries, but with Kaka and Karim Benzema returning from injury, Granero's chances of breaking into the starting line-up again look bleak.