Madrid’s derby carried an unexpected selection debate beyond the final whistle. Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat away to Atlético de Madrid, in the seventh round of La Liga, has sharpened attention on Yan Diomande after the Ivorian forward replaced Vinicius Junior in difficult circumstances at the Metropolitano.
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A poll of more than 50,000 Real Madrid supporters produced a striking verdict on the attacking place. Eighty-six per cent selected Diomande to start instead of Vinicius, while a further 7% wanted the Ivorian in the starting side at another player’s expense. Only 7% said he should not begin matches, leaving 93% in favour of his inclusion from the outset.
The discussion followed Diomande’s second-half contribution in the derby. He entered nine minutes after the interval for Vinicius, shortly after Huijsen had been sent off, with Madrid trailing 1-0 and reduced to 10 men. Diomande stayed on until the end, but Atlético held on for a 2-1 victory.
Despite playing only 36 minutes, Diomande compared favourably with Vinicius across several measures. He completed nine of 10 passes, whereas Vinicius found a teammate with eight of 11 attempts. The substitute also completed four of six dribbles; Vinicius managed one.
Diomande registered 31 touches, nine more than Vinicius’s 22, and won nine of his 12 ground duels. The Brazilian won three from six. The Ivorian was not beaten by a dribble, while Vinicius was passed twice by Atlético opponents.
There was a difference in end product as well. Diomande’s only attempt tested Jan Oblak, while Vinicius had two efforts without putting either on target. The poll result now reflects how strongly the substitute’s brief but energetic derby display has resonated among Madrid supporters.
