Yan Diomande goal puts Vinicius' return in doubt
Yan Diomande scored a stunning goal in Real Madrid's win over Racing Santander, extending a hot run while Vinicius Junior sits out a suspension.
Diomande's goal has Real Madrid thinking twice
Yan Diomande scored a stunning goal for Real Madrid in a win over Racing Santander at El Sardinero, and it is doing exactly what a goal like that is supposed to do. It has people asking whether Vinicius Junior walks straight back into the lineup once his suspension ends, or whether Diomande just wrote himself into the plans for good. That is the search people are running right now, and the answer is still open.
Madrid built a big first-half lead. Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring from a penalty in the 11th minute. Jude Bellingham doubled it in the 22nd minute off a pass from Arda Guler. Diomande made it three in the 36th minute, pouncing on a Racing clearance off a corner and lashing a right-footed shot from outside the box into the top corner past goalkeeper Aguirre.
Vinicius' absence opened the door
Diomande did not get this chance by accident. Vinicius Junior is serving a four-match suspension, and that opened the door for the Ivorian winger to start. He has taken the opportunity and run with it. The goal against Racing Santander is part of a string of impressive performances that has made him a genuine contender for a regular spot on the wing. Before the ban, Vinicius held that spot. Now the coaching staff has a decision to make once he is eligible again.
The goal against Racing Santander was his fifth of the season, four of them in La Liga. That is a real number for a young winger who got his chance by necessity rather than by reputation.
Who is Yan Diomande
Diomande is a young Ivorian winger who, by his own account, is still adjusting to life at Real Madrid. Speaking to RM Play, he said he is shy and the youngest player in the squad, and he named teammates Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni among the fun and friendly players who have made the club feel, in his words, like a family.
He also talked about what it means to actually play for the club he grew up watching on television, and about who he plays for off the field. Diomande said he thinks about his mother and his sister, and that he lost his sister. He said he gives everything in every match in her memory.
What happens when Vinicius returns
The question hanging over Real Madrid's wing is straightforward. Vinicius Junior will return from his suspension at some point, and the coaching staff will have to decide whether to hand him his starting spot back or keep playing the man who has been scoring goals in his absence. Diomande does not get a vote in that decision, but his form has made it a harder call than it would have been a few weeks ago. For now, he keeps scoring and keeps making his case, one start at a time.
Facts per LiveScore, Managing Madrid. Opinion is the taproom's.