Yan Diomande has been forced to wait for a more prominent role at Real Madrid after the impressive start made by Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior in La Liga.
Real Madrid opened the league season with victories over Espanyol and Real Sociedad, with the performances of their attacking trio attracting most of the attention. Their displays have also received praise from manager Jose Mourinho, who appears to have found an effective way to combine the three players.
Mbappe was the outstanding figure in the 4-1 win against Real Sociedad, scoring a hat-trick. Vinicius Junior contributed a goal and an assist, while Bellingham produced his best performance in a Real Madrid shirt in recent months by providing two assists.
The form of the established stars has overshadowed Diomande, according to Mundo Deportivo. The 19-year-old arrived at Real Madrid as the most expensive signing in the club’s history, with the transfer valued at 125m euros, but that fee has not guaranteed him a regular place in the starting line-up.
Diomande was regarded as an investment for both the present and the future when he joined the Spanish club. However, he currently sits behind Vinicius Junior and Arda Guler in the pecking order.
Mourinho has used a 4-2-3-1 system in Real Madrid’s first two competitive matches of the season, with Vinicius Junior and Guler occupying the wide positions. That tactical arrangement has further restricted the opportunities available to the Ivory Coast winger.
Diomande’s involvement so far has been limited. He came on during the second half against Espanyol, with the score level at 1-1. Against Real Sociedad, he was introduced in the 84th minute in place of Vinicius Junior, by which point the result had effectively been settled since the middle of the second half.
Across the opening two rounds of the Spanish league, Diomande has therefore played only a little more than 30 minutes.
His situation reflects the strength of Real Madrid’s attacking options. Like Brahim Diaz, who was left out against Espanyol before making his first appearance of the season against Real Sociedad, Diomande must currently be patient and wait for an opportunity from the bench.
Guler’s new position has created an additional obstacle. Mourinho has identified the right wing as the ideal role for the Turkey midfielder. From there, Guler is able to move into deeper central areas when Real Madrid have possession, adding another dimension to the team’s build-up play while retaining an attacking threat from the flank.
That tactical solution has helped the club accommodate its attacking talent, but it has also made it more difficult for Diomande to secure regular minutes.
For now, the Ivorian winger’s prospects depend on Mourinho choosing to rotate his squad in the coming matches. Until then, Diomande will have to remain patient while Mbappe, Bellingham and Vinicius Junior continue to dominate the headlines with Real Madrid’s strong attacking performances.
