Yan Diomandé delivered his most convincing performance yet for Real Madrid in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Elche. Starting for the second consecutive match, the Ivorian winger provided his first assist for the Spanish giants when he raced onto a through-ball and set up Kylian Mbappé for Madrid’s second goal.
The performance finally showcased some of the qualities that convinced Real Madrid to invest €125 million, plus €15 million in potential bonuses, to sign the 19-year-old this summer.
The display also helped change the Spanish press’s perception of Diomandé. After his first start against Rayo Vallecano, AS had claimed that the Ivorian had “left the Bernabéu cold,” but the newspaper praised his performance against Elche for his runs, dribbling, defensive work and support for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Diomandé also impressed with his ability to track back and make runs behind the defence, showing Mourinho that he can contribute without the ball. The Portuguese coach has repeatedly called for patience with the young winger, and his latest performance gave him further reason to trust him.
Mourinho expressed his delight with Diomandé’s progress after the final whistle. “Yan was so good! He’s improving and getting valuable minutes under his belt. It’s not easy playing 90 minutes with a yellow card. He did an incredible job; I’m very happy,” he said. Diomandé also caught the attention of supporters when he kissed the Real Madrid badge as he left the pitch in stoppage time. One strong performance will not guarantee him a starting place, but the Ivorian has now shifted the conversation from his €125 million price tag to what he can bring to Real Madrid.
