Started ahead of Vinicius Junior. Scored. Man of the match. On Saturday, Yan Diomandé gave Real Madrid victory over Villarreal (1-0) on matchday 8 of La Liga. The 19-year-old Ivory Coast international, the most expensive African transfer in history, had been waiting weeks for this moment.
Played through on goal, he angled his shot past Péter Gulácsi in the 63rd minute. The goal, initially flagged offside, was given by VAR. The Golden Boy then broke down in tears, before dedicating this first La Liga goal to his sister on Instagram. For DAZN pundit Jérôme Rothen, it was « a benchmark performance »: « He is getting more and more playing time, and he is effective. » In other words, the criticism of his early days is starting to fade.
The pecking order is shifting
The context is working in his favour. After coming off the bench, Vinicius was sent off, Afrik-Foot reports. That could open a window of extra playing time for Diomandé in the coming weeks.
For José Mourinho, the attacking hierarchy is becoming a real headache. The length of the Brazilian’s suspension has not yet been specified.