Real Madrid's new record signing Yan Diomande still has not started a game through the first three Matchdays of the 2026/27 La Liga season, which have all been wins, but he has played a nice role off the bench in all of them, including helping the team win the first Matchday right off the bat with some smart passes, including the pass to the assist for the winner that Carlos Espi netted.
Although Diomande cost 140 million euros and has been overshadowed a bit by the bargain striker Espi, Real Madrid fans who comb over every single detail of every single match have come away very impressed with Diomande.
Jose Mourinho is backing him, too, careful to tell Real Madrid fans that the club did not sign Diomande to shine in the first three matches but rather to become a world class player in the long run.
Yan Diomande is already making great decisions
And the signs of that breakout level are already there. Beyond the fact that Diomande had 20 goal contributions in pretty much carrying RB Leipzig as an offense last season while showing great skill and explosiveness off the dribble, it is his intelligence that is really capturing the eye of the Madridistas to start the new season.
Yan Diomande is making amazing decisions on the ball as far as who he is passing it to and the timing of his passing. Unlike quite a few Real Madrid players who have been at the club for years, Diomande already has a keen, almost instinctive sense on when to attack, when to withdraw, when to hold the play up, when to dance on the ball with the defneder, and when to release the ball.
That innate feel of understanding the timing of the pass and the rhythm of the attack is so difficult to teach, and Diomande, even before any instruction by Jose Mourinho, has already come right to Real Madrid and shown that quality off the bench.
Diomande is a player who can help Real Madrid control the tempo of the game in the final third and excel with his intelligence against either low blocks or teams where the transition, counterattacking approach is required. On the ball, Diomande is a maestro despite being an explosive winger, and Real Madrid fans can already see the early signs of what is about to be unleashed on the rest of Spanish football later this season. Diomande is special.
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