Diomande opens up on Madrid situation — 'I train a lot, even if I play little'

By Alexis Pereira | 04 Oct 2026 17:04, Last updated: 04 Oct 2026 20:04

Yan Diomande has spoken candidly astir his constricted crippled clip astatine Real Madrid portion insisting the opposition with his starring relation for Ivory Coast changes thing astir his regular approach.

The 19-year-old winger, who is already 1 of the astir eagerly anticipated players each clip helium pulls connected the Ivory Coast shirt, came disconnected the seat aft an hr successful Saturday's 1-0 decision to Cameroon astatine Stade Alassane Ouattara, instantly energising the assemblage and coming adjacent to an equaliser with a changeable that was pushed distant by Simon Ngapandouetnbu.

Speaking to NCI television aft the match, Diomande addressed his concern astatine the Bernabeu with sizeable openness.

Real Madrid news: Diomande connected crippled clip and regular demands

'There is thing that changes,' the Real Madrid guardant said. 'I bid a lot, adjacent if I play small there, and the grooming sessions are intense. It is simply a pleasance that the manager trusts maine and gives maine a batch of crippled time.'

The opposition successful his presumption betwixt nine and state is striking. Under Hervé Renard, Diomande has go a elder fig whose entrances from the seat are capable to change the dynamic of a fixture. At Real Madrid, wherever contention for wide positions is fierce fixed the beingness of Kylian Mbappe and others, his constitution successful the archetypal eleven is simply a much gradual process. Diomande's connection is that helium sees nary contradiction successful that and nary crushed for complaint.

Real Madrid news: Diomande connected pressure, popularity and staying grounded

His increasing illustration — accelerated by a summertime determination to Real Madrid and his performances astatine the 2026 World Cup — has prompted questions astir however helium carries the value of expectation. He gave abbreviated shrift to the statement present being applied to him.

'That is ever fine,' helium said. 'Forget this superstar communicative — I stay the same. For you, possibly I americium one, but for maine I stay the same. In immoderate case, it is simply a pleasance to play for my state supra all. I consciousness amended than anyplace other each clip I correspond the flag.'

On the taxable of unit itself, his effect was arsenic direct.

'I emotion it erstwhile determination is unit — it allows maine to surpass myself. I besides play astatine a nine wherever determination is simply a batch of demand.'