Real Madrid news: Arda Guler strengthens starting claim after Yan Diomande’s first start

Yan Diomande was finally handed his first Real Madrid start against Rayo Vallecano, but Arda Guler’s impact from the bench may only have strengthened the Turkey international’s position in Jose Mourinho’s attacking hierarchy.

Diomande had been waiting for an opportunity to show why Real Madrid invested so heavily in him during the summer, having previously been restricted to substitute appearances.

That chance arrived in Saturday’s 4-1 La Liga victory over Rayo, with Mourinho selecting the Ivory Coast international on the right side of his attack.

However, the 19-year-old struggled to make a decisive impression before being replaced by Guler in the second half.

The contrast between the two players then became difficult to ignore, with Guler immediately bringing greater invention to Madrid’s attack and providing an assist before the final whistle.

Diomande unable to fully seize first Real Madrid start

Diomande’s display was not without encouraging moments.

He showed his acceleration on several occasions and produced one particularly promising run when he beat two opponents before cutting inside, although his subsequent effort went well over the crossbar.

The youngster also contributed without the ball and did not appear overwhelmed by the occasion.

Nevertheless, he struggled to consistently influence Madrid’s attacking play from the right, a position which is not necessarily as natural to him as operating from the opposite flank.

That was enough to attract criticism in Spain.

Marca awarded Diomande a five out of 10, the lowest rating among Real Madrid’s starters, arguing that more should be expected from the club’s record signing than occasional bursts of acceleration.

AS, meanwhile, described an element of “timidity” in his performance.

The pressure surrounding Diomande is inevitably greater because of the enormous investment Madrid made to sign him following his rapid emergence at RB Leipzig.

Moving from one of Europe’s most exciting prospects to a player expected to immediately influence games at the Santiago Bernabeu represents a substantial step.

His first start illustrated that the adaptation process is still ongoing.

Guler makes immediate case to Mourinho

Diomande’s biggest problem on Saturday may have been what happened after he left the pitch.

Guler replaced him in the 71st minute and immediately gave Madrid greater creativity and personality in possession.

The Turkey international looked comfortable demanding the ball between the lines and taking responsibility in the final third.

He eventually registered an assist as Madrid completed their 4-1 victory, while his overall contribution reinforced the impression that he currently remains ahead of Diomande in Mourinho’s thinking.

Antonio Romero summed up that view on Cadena SER, saying: “The starter today is Guler.”

That does not mean Mourinho has already made a definitive judgement on Diomande.

The Madrid boss has continued to speak positively about the youngster’s potential and understands that he is still adjusting to a different level of expectation and a new tactical environment.

However, Guler has one obvious advantage at present: he is already capable of influencing matches immediately.

The Turkish playmaker has become increasingly important to Mourinho because of his ability to operate from the right while moving into central areas, giving Madrid another creative presence around Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

Diomande offers different qualities, particularly his pace and ability to attack defenders directly, but he has yet to translate those attributes into consistent end product for Madrid.

Saturday was therefore an important opportunity rather than a final verdict.

The Ivorian finally received the start he had been waiting for, and the Bernabeu crowd remained supportive when he was substituted.

Yet the evening also demonstrated why Guler had been expected to start ahead of Diomande before the game.

Diomande’s first Real Madrid start was supposed to give Mourinho another selection question.

Instead, Guler’s entrance may have provided the clearest answer yet.