The Japan Times - Yan Diomande Finds Form Before Real Madrid Faces Former Club Leipzig

Real Madrid winger Yan Diomande is gaining momentum before facing former club RB Leipzig in the Champions League following his record €140 million transfer.

When Real Madrid paid a club-record 140 million euros ($157 million) to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig this summer, it was for his clear potential to become one of the game’s stars, as he indicated at the 2026 World Cup. That talent has started to emerge in recent matches. Diomande hit a spectacular strike against Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday, ahead of a reunion with Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday.

His potential was not the only reason Madrid paid so much. President Florentino Perez promised fans during his re-election campaign in June that he would spend a fee of that size on a new star, as the club sought to rebuild after two seasons without a major trophy. Diomande had shone in just one season with Leipzig after emerging at Spanish side Leganes.

The 19-year-old did not join Madrid to fill an obvious gap, and his arrival in fact made the club’s crowded attack even more crowded. On the day his transfer was disclosed, Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior signed a new contract until 2032. Madrid struggled last season to find a balance with Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius on the pitch together, let alone adding a new attacking star with a record price tag.

So it is no surprise that Diomande is still finding his feet in the Spanish capital. He has shown flashes of great quality without yet becoming essential for coach Jose Mourinho, but he is improving. He scored his first goal for the club against Villarreal on Oct 10 to secure a 1-0 win, though that was overshadowed when Vinicius was sent off later in the game and banned for four matches. That opened the door further for Diomande, who started on the left wing in Sunday’s 4-1 rout of Sevilla, setting up Arda Guler’s opener and lashing home from long range late on. He now has two goals and three assists in 11 appearances in all competitions.

“He has a lot to improve, he’s young, he’s still naive, he’s still not the finished article,” Mourinho stated on Sunday. “At Real Madrid, the demands are very high… but he had a great game, he’s growing.”

Diomande has handled pressure throughout his career. He faced rejection after leaving Ivory Coast to attend school in Florida, failing to agree deals with Major League Soccer (MLS) sides Charlotte FC and Colorado Rapids. He made his senior debut for Leganes against Real Madrid in March 2025, scoring twice in 10 games to earn a move to Germany, where he helped Leipzig reach the Champions League with 12 goals and eight assists and was named the Bundesliga’s rookie of the year.

He stated he is driven by personal tragedy. In an open letter published by The Players’ Tribune in June, he wrote about his younger sister, who died in 2025 at the age of 15. “You were the one who always believed that I could be the next Cristiano (Ronaldo), when everybody else laughed,” he wrote. “I will prove that you were right, or I will die trying.”

“He has to improve his finishing… assist better… but that will come,” Mourinho stated. “I remember when Vinicius arrived (and struggled), and in two or three years Vinicius was a top drawer player.” Vinicius is not suspended in Europe, but Diomande is set to be hoping Mourinho gives him another chance to shine against Leipzig on Wednesday, as Madrid seek a third win from three Champions League games.

T.Shimizu--JT