According to AS, Yan Diomande was one of Real Madrid's standout performers in the second half of the Madrid derby.

AS highlighted that Yan Diomande has arrived as a force. His performance against Elche alone was insufficient to gauge his impact; the former RB Leipzig player made another strong impression in his brief appearance against Atlético Madrid. Despite Real Madrid playing with a numerical disadvantage after Heijsen's red card and an unfavorable match situation, the winger remained one of the team's most active bright spots in the second half. After going down to ten men and conceding first, Mourinho brought Diomande off the bench to replace Vinicius. Within five minutes of Diomande entering the pitch, Real Madrid conceded a second goal, and the derby appeared virtually lost. However, Diomande refused to relent. He quickly took command of the right wing that Real Madrid's No. 7 had failed to exploit effectively. Speed, dribbling prowess (4 successful out of 6 attempts), passing accuracy (90%), and defensive intensity (won 9 out of 12 duels) were all on display from the Ivorian in just over half an hour. Specifically, in 36 minutes, he completed as many successful dribbles as Vinicius and Mbappé combined throughout the entire match—and this came while the team played with one fewer player.

Diomande's introduction also marked an unprecedented recent decision: Vinicius was substituted before the hour mark, withdrawn in the 54th minute. Nevertheless, the Brazilian accepted the change gracefully, greeting Mourinho and the coaching staff before returning to the bench. After the match, unlike some teammates, he headed directly to the dressing room, capping yet another performance well below his standards. This has placed Real Madrid's coach in a difficult position, as he now sees one of the club's most successful players in recent history being outperformed by the club's most expensive signing ever.

Furthermore, Diomande's displays in the closing stages against Elche and during his playing time against Atlético Madrid suggest he is more comfortable on the left wing. Therefore, once the international break concludes and Real Madrid resumes preparations for the Villarreal match, Mourinho faces a critical decision: continue backing a squad cornerstone in Vinicius, or invest faith in newcomer Diomande.

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