Real Madrid youngster continues to impress Mourinho with outstanding all-round display against Valencia
Real Madrid’s impressive resurgence under Jose Mourinho continued at Mestalla, with Los Blancos securing a 3-0 victory over Valencia.
Real Madrid’s impressive resurgence under Jose Mourinho continued at Mestalla, with Los Blancos securing a 3-0 victory over Valencia.
Mourinho’s men secured their eighth consecutive victory, with their performances improving with every passing game.
Federico Valverde, Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe scored the goals for Los Blancos, while Yan Diomande delivered another encouraging performance.
According to MARCA (h/t RM4Arab), the Ivorian’s growing defensive commitment has been particularly impressive as Mourinho continues to rely on him more and more.
One particular moment in the Valencia game underlined exactly how the 19-year-old can contribute to the team.
Diomande sprinted nearly 30 metres to stop an opposition counter-attack. It was precisely the kind of effort Mourinho has been demanding from his attacking players.
Diomande’s statistics were equally impressive. The youngster won 12 duels, completed six of his eight attempted dribbles, drew three fouls and succeeded in all three defensive tackles.
He has now completed 37 dribbles in La Liga this season, placing him second behind Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who leads the standings with 43.
His dribbling success rate of approximately 65% further demonstrates the consistency with which he has been troubling opposition defenders.
Diomande’s emergence has been particularly significant during Vinicius Junior’s four-match domestic suspension.
The youngster has established himself as a serious option on the left wing at a time when the Brazilian is not in great form.
Vinicius will be available for selection after the international break, having served his suspension.
This leaves Jose Mourinho with an important decision over how to handle a superstar like Vinicius.
The Portuguese manager could retain Diomande on the left or accommodate both players by moving the youngster to the opposite flank.
What makes the situation especially interesting is that Diomande is increasingly offering more than attacking contributions.
One of the biggest issues with Vinicius has been his reluctance to track back, and Mourinho’s team look more balanced with Diomande in it.
It remains to be seen how Mourinho handles this situation and whether Diomande has done enough to displace Vinicius from the starting XI after the break.