Real Madrid came into this season with everything to prove, writes Rant Sport‘s Wanga Charma.
After successive trophyless seasons, the biggest club in the world had an internal overhaul, and it seems to finally be paying dividends.
Real Madrid have just completed a perfect October, winning five of five, with their latest victory over bitter rivals FC Barcelona.
Undefeated in the Champions League and now within three points of Barca in La Liga.
Los Blancos are beginning to heat up.
Real Madrid thus far
Real have won 11 of their first 13 games this season, and while the results are fantastic, up until the end of September, many of the Madrid faithful were still unconvinced of the team’s title-winning potential.
With Jose reintroducing himself to the Bernabeu, we have already seen several different iterations of this squad as he attempts to find the perfect formula to combat and challenge the other European juggernauts.
There is evidence of a tactical philosophy and vision, but it never seemed like a seamless fit, particularly on the left flank.
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The Vinicius issue
Ask any Madrid fan whether Vinicius Junior is a club legend; the answer often will be a resounding “yes.”
After all, he is a two-time Champions League winner, a Ballon D’Or runner-up, and the current holder of the famous No.7 jersey.
He’s given the club so much to cheer for the last five years and was rewarded with a contract extension until June of 2032, which also came with a pay increase that put him on par with Kylian Mbappe.
However, to say his start has been abysmal would be an understatement. He had a fine World Cup campaign for Brazil but has been less than inspiring at a club level.
The Brazilian has just a single goal to his name in 580 minutes of league play.
With minimal offensive impact and him still being a defensive liability, it was difficult for Jose to justify starting him, and on October 10, he was benched against Villarreal.
Many probably expected to see an energetic, fired-up Vinicius, ready to fight for his starting spot.
While he did find the back of the net, the goal was disallowed, and Vini was sent off for hair pulling (violent conduct) after being on the pitch for just 20 minutes.
He was given a four-game suspension, and with an important run of fixtures upcoming, Mourinho had to look to new signing Diomande for answers.
The ‘Diamonde’ in the rough
Yan Diomande experienced a slow start to life in Spain. During the first month of the season, he’s made appearances off the bench as an impact substitute.
In those appearances, though the finishing is inconsistent, there is an energy, a verve, and a relentlessness with which he attacks and defends.
With a hefty price tag hanging over him, he had to fight to prove his worth to the club and to the fans. That pivotal moment just so happened to come in the same game that Vini was sent off.
Diomande opened his Madrid account against Villarreal, and in the last four games he has contributed two goals and three assists in what has been an imperious display of football and an incredible run of form from Real Madrid.
CBS pundit Ian Joy believes that the Ivorian is a “diamond in the rough,” who will prove to the world that he deserves to start.
Mourinho himself echoed a similar sentiment in a press conference, stating, “I am very happy with Diomande…He needs to work on his finishing.”
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The current outlook
Beyond their prodigious young winger, the rest of the Real squad also seem to be fully on board the Mourinho train.
Arda Guler is quickly and convincingly making his argument as one of the best midfielders in the world despite being only 21 years old. The vision, control and bravado from the Turkish international has really breathed life into what was a lacklustre Madrid side.
Kylian Mbappe picked up where he left off last season and has got off to a blistering start.
14 goals in 13 games this season, he is looking to finally break his Champions League and Ballon d’Or curse and will need to be at his absolute best to make it possible.
Players like Bellingham, Huijsen, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Konate and Cucurella are beginning to revel and excel in their roles.
And any football fan knows that an on-form Madrid backed by one of the greatest managers ever, Jose Mourinho, is a recipe for success.
As Diomande finds his feet and Real Madrid as a collective begins to catch fire, there remains immense pressure on Vinicius Junior to perform and potentially reclaim his starting position.
He returns to league action in late November, but can still play against AEK Athens in the Champions League.
If he does not have a near-perfect game, we may be seeing the beginning of the end of Vinicius at Real Madrid, and in the same breath, we may be witnessing the birth of the next footballing superstar in Diomande, along with the next dominant Galactico era.
