Real Madrid triumphed again in the group stage of the Champions League, but the performance of new Ivory Coast winger Diomande left fans and coaching staff with doubts about his real impact on the team. Despite having started in the 3-4 against Roma, the player failed to become the decisive factor that was expected after his signing this summer.
Diomande started the match from the right wing, but after Vinicius left, he moved to the left to try to create opportunities. During the match he showed great offensive activity: he made eight dribbles, of which he completed six, and launched four crosses, becoming the second player with the most attempts of that type, only surpassed by Arda Güler. Furthermore, he stood out for his defensive versatility, being the only winger who went down to help in the defensive zone when the situation demanded it.
Despite these statistics, coach José Mourinho decided to remove him from the field and replace him with Espí at a critical moment in the match. The change reflected the lack of a decisive moment on the part of Diomande, who, although he was present in the creation of plays, was unable to make a goal or a key pass that changed the course of the game. Real Madrid, which had signed Diomande with the intention of him being the “decisive player on the wing”, has not seen that quality in practice.
The Madrid club, which was looking to reinforce its attack with a player capable of generating opportunities from the wings, now faces the task of evaluating whether Diomande can adapt to the team's demands. His performance in the first game of the season has not met expectations, and the coach will have to decide whether to give him more opportunities or look for alternatives to cover the lack of offensive impact that was expected of him.
With the rest of the group stage still to be played, Real Madrid will have to have a more solid and coherent attack. Diomande will have to show in the next few games that he can be the player the club needs, or the club will have to consider adjustments to its squad to ensure competitiveness in the Champions League.