Diomande threatens Vinicius' throne: international break disrupts Mourinho's calculations

Did the international break halt Diomande's momentum?

The international break was no mere rest for Ivorian Yan Diomande. It arrived as an unexpected obstacle, interrupting an upward trajectory that was shaping the features of a new star at Real Madrid.

Diomande had not yet justified a deal worth 146 million euros, but he was finally proving his right to the white shirt. So much so that voices inside the Madrid camp had already called for him to be handed a starting place at the expense of Vinicius Junior.

Known for favouring teamwork over individual showmanship, he had recently imposed himself with real defensive discipline in every match. His attacking numbers improved too, with a rising rate of decisive passes, turning a controversial deal into a tactical card worth relying on.

His call-up to Ivory Coast halted that momentum, according to Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo".

The young winger clocked 209 minutes with the Elephants across three fixtures against Cameroon, Somalia and Ghana. He completed two full matches and came on in the final minutes of the third, trying to maintain his rhythm.

Now Diomande returns to the Spanish capital facing a real test. He must not only regain the level he was at before the break but confirm that he deserves his place in Real Madrid's project. Otherwise the doubts about his future will resurface.

Capable of filling both the right and left wing, the player is predicted to rejoin José Mourinho's starting group when competitions resume. That scenario could open the door to major changes in the attacking line, affecting names of the calibre of Arda Güler or even Vinicius himself. But that is another chapter whose time to be written has not yet come.