Diomande Stars as Real Madrid Cruise Past Sevilla Before El Clasico
Real Madrid strengthened their momentum before next week’s El Clasico by producing an emphatic home victory over Sevilla, with 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger Diomande delivering the goal and assist that marked the standout individual contribution of the evening.
Arda Guler put Madrid ahead after Diomande created the opening from wide territory, before Kylian Mbappe took the match away from Sevilla with two goals. Diomande then supplied the most eye-catching moment himself, driving down the flank on a solo break, moving inside and finishing with his right foot to complete the rout in the Spanish capital.
The display gave Diomande a place in the club’s recent statistical history. Aged 19 years and 338 days, he became Real Madrid’s youngest player of the 21st century to score and assist in the same La Liga match. He moved ahead of Jude Bellingham, who had held the mark after doing so at 20 years and 51 days old.
It was a significant response from a player whose early period at the Bernabeu had not been straightforward. Yet Jose Mourinho urged caution after the match, arguing that the fee attached to Diomande has intensified the scrutiny on a forward who is still learning his trade.
Mourinho described the teenager as a work in progress, saying he has considerable scope to improve and can still be naive. The manager said Diomande is effectively carrying the weight of the €125 million to €130 million spent on him, rather than simply playing as a young squad member wearing No. 25.
Better choices and greater calmness in attacking positions remain areas Mourinho wants to see develop. He pointed to Vinicius Junior’s evolution at Madrid as encouragement, recalling that the Brazilian needed time after arriving before becoming a genuinely world-class player two or three years later.
Clasico chance during Vinicius absence
Madrid now turn towards Barcelona and an El Clasico that will offer Diomande an immediate opportunity to reinforce his claim for a regular place. Vinicius is still serving the remainder of a four-match domestic ban, leaving room for the Ivorian to continue in the side.
When Vinicius becomes available again, Mourinho may need to reconsider his attacking balance. Diomande could be required to operate from the right in order to accommodate his fellow winger, making sustained form against Barcelona and in the matches that follow especially important.
