Football
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Real Madrid have not backed James Rodriguez - Tino Asprilla

Former Colombia striker Faustino Asprilla says his countryman James Rodriguez has not received the backing he needs this season to succeed at Real Madrid.

James joined Madrid for €80 million from Monaco after winning the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, then managed 14 goals and 15 assists across La Liga and the Champions League in his first season at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu under the guidance of then Blancos coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The 2015-16 season has not gone so well for the now 24-year-old, who has just six goals and six assists so far. Injuries and disagreements with coach Rafa Benitez affected the first half of his campaign, leading to persistent speculation he could leave the Bernabeu this summer.

Despite scoring in Colombia's 3-2 win over Bolivia in last week's World Cup qualifier, James is still expected to be used as a substitute by current Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane in Saturday's La Liga Clasico at Barcelona's Camp Nou.

Asprilla told Marca that to play at his best James needed to be given an important role within the team, and that was not happening at Madrid at present.

"It's not that James performs better for Colombia than for Real Madrid, but that here in Colombia he gets the true importance that a player with his characteristics needs to be able to perform," he said. "At Real Madrid they are not giving him the importance he needs. He is a young kid, with so much talent, but James has not had the affection he needs at his club. When he had it with [Carlo] Ancelotti, the player showed his true value. This season he has not been able to show anything because they did not give him this special treatment that a player needs at his club."

Former Newcastle and Parma attacker Asprilla blamed Benitez, but not Zidane, for James' issues this season, saying it seemed to him that the ex-Napoli coach had something against Colombian players.

"I sincerely believe that Benitez must have something against Colombians, because that is the only way to understand his attitude against my countrymen," he said. "James came from having an exceptional season in his first year at the club, then this guy arrives and sends him to the bench. I don't believe it was for footballing reasons, as before at Napoli he totally marginalised the Colombians Camilo Zuniga and Duvan Zapata."

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