Real Madrid-Las Palmas Confident winger meets MARCA before his Bernabeu return

Winger struggled to settle in at PSG

Often finds himself at odds with his boss

It's just over 24 hours before kick-off in the Spanish capital when MARCA meet Jese Rodriguez in his old stomping ground, preparing to take on a side he feels he could have become an undisputed starter, Real Madrid.

Currently on loan at hometown team Las Palmas, the winger believes he's on a fight back to the top of the game, a spot denied to him by a serious injury back in December 2014.

Are you ready to score and win at the Bernabeu?

"It's difficult, we know how good Madrid are at the Bernabeu, and even more so at the moment. Will I score? Hopefully, I've been failing to in some recent games, having bad luck in front of goal, and it's difficult to win here. But we'll try to get something. Our team is performing at a good level but we are having bad luck in front of goal."

Would you celebrate?

"No, clearly not. I owe Real a lot, they are the team that welcomed me, as a person and as a young footballer. I owe them a lot and, out of respect and admiration, I wouldn't celebrate."

You've struggled in your first matches at Las Palmas, how do you explain that?

"I did not expect it and I do not feel good. We have lost all four matches and I have not scored a goal. Things have not turned out the way we wanted them to, but I feel even worse because the team is creating really good chances. Let's see if we can end this streak, we have played some good teams and good players."

You spent almost 10 years in Madrid, what did you learn?

"Many things; discipline, humility, character. I had the opportunity to work with several coaches and I really enjoyed being a kid there. I learned a lot from the other players."

Four or five years ago you spoke about winning the Ballon d'Or, do you still believe it?

"Now it's more complicated. There are people who say 'yes, that's what he said four or five years ago' and I remind everyone that I was on course to surpass Raul's record in the Real first-team, after I had surpassed Emilio Butragueno's goal tally for Castilla."

"It is not an excuse, it is reality that the injury I had was a brake on my career, both in football and in my personal life, and from there I've lost a lot. To have continuity, to play, to feel more secure and more comfortable, is difficult.

"The ones who know about this are the ones who have had injuries like mine. They are injuries that I do not wish on any footballer. That's the reality. Ever since I was little I dreamed of winning the Ballon d'Or and the Champions League, and winning other important titles, and I have won them with Madrid. That is my explanation."

Do you think you have overloaded yourself with expectation, or the press, perhaps?

"No, I think that the press and I focused on the same aims because it is what I felt and I demonstrated on the pitch. All this is before the injury, that has cost me a lot. The injury, the infection afterwards, nine months of recovery... when I returned I did not have enough game time, then I started the next season playing and then sitting on the bench. It was monotonous."

"That's why I made the decision to leave Real Madrid, because I had one year left on my contract, I left not because I wanted to go, I was very happy, I left because I want to have more continuity and to play every week. Also, other factors, like getting a chance in the national team."

Some time has passed since you left Real, what do you think you needed to do to stay in Madrid?

"I can assure you that I did everything in my power to make things work for me. And I keep trying hard. I am self assured because I gave everything."

Do you see yourself coming back, or is that door closed?

"You never know, hopefully someday I'll be back. It was the team that birthed me as a footballer, it's like when a mother gives birth, Madrid did that for me. I experienced a lot of things, I learned so much, and I have spent half my life there."

"Football, as we all know, there are many cycles and you never know what's next. Right now I am with Las Palmas and am very happy. I want to do good things with the team and, personally, there are 14 or 15 games left so we will see what happens."

Have you thought about where you would be now if Kolasinac had not injured you in 2014?

"I have thought about it. And I've never liked comparing myself to anyone, but I think I would be an undisputed starter for Real Madrid. Of that I'm sure."