Yan Diomande shines again as Real Madrid starlet sets Liga record

Yan Diomande delivered another outstanding performance for Real Madrid as the 19-year-old scored and provided an assist in Sunday’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Sevilla in La Liga.

A week after opening his Real Madrid account, the Ivory Coast international was again named on the left in place of the suspended Vinicius Junior. He responded with a display that suggested his hesitant start and the criticism that followed it are now firmly behind him.

Diomande played a part in every Real Madrid goal, combining his attacking influence with a willingness to track back and contribute defensively. He created the opening goal in the 30th minute before completing his performance with a superb strike eight minutes from time.

The goal was largely his own work. After receiving a sideways pass from the right, Diomande carried the ball forward, held off the Sevilla defenders and unleashed a powerful shot into the top-right corner beyond Odysseas Vlachodimos.

It was the second successive La Liga match in which the Ivorian has scored. The forward, who has won 17 caps for Ivory Coast and scored three international goals, also made history with his latest display.

According to statistician Opta, Diomande became the first Real Madrid player aged under 20 to score and provide an assist in the same La Liga match during the 21st century. He achieved the feat at the age of 19 years and 338 days.

The result against Sevilla also extended a particularly productive run for the Abidjan-born winger. Diomande has now made at least one decisive contribution in each of his past four appearances for Real Madrid, registering two goals and three assists during that sequence.

His celebration paid tribute to LeBron James, with Diomande copying the basketball star’s familiar gesture after scoring. The teenager is known to have met James previously, having been around the NBA icon at an event involving his agent Jay-Z, the American rap figure, and DJ Khaled, another prominent name in US music.

Diomande’s latest performance further underlined his rapid emergence at Real Madrid. After scoring his first goal for the club only eight days earlier, he followed it with a goal, an assist and a record-setting contribution in a convincing win.