Rayo Vallecano's coach, Iñigo Pérez, remained cautious when asked about Colombian star James Rodríguez potentially making his debut against Osasuna but admitted that playing for his national team recently puts him in a better position than he was two weeks ago.

James, who joined Rayo on August 26, could make his first appearance for the Madrid-based team this Monday. He was left out of the squad two weeks ago against Espanyol due to his inactivity over the summer, having not played since the Copa América.

However, his recent call-up to the Colombian national team and 135 minutes played across two matches against Peru and Argentina, where he also scored a goal, have paved the way for his Rayo debut.

"The players don't know the squad until after the final training session, but James has no issues. He's played in two matches for his national team, so it's different from before the break," Pérez explained during a press conference.