Yan Diamonde’s criticism of refereeing decisions favouring Real Madrid has re-emerged in Spain just as the RB Leipzig teenager edges closer to a big-money transfer to the Bernabeu.
The 19-year-old forward is Real Madrid’s leading target in the current summer window, with Spanish reports saying the club have reached an agreement with the player on personal terms and submitted a €120m offer to RB Leipzig. Negotiations are described as progressing positively.
However, comments Diamonde made during his time at Leganes – accusing Real Madrid of routinely benefiting from refereeing calls – have been widely shared on social media in recent hours, prompting debate over how the Spanish champions will respond.
Old remarks come back into focus
Diamonde’s remarks date back to the 2024-25 La Liga season, when he was playing for Leganes before his subsequent move to RB Leipzig in 2025.
In his final campaign in Spain’s top flight, he faced Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in a league match that ended in a 3-2 victory for the home side. The closing stages of that game produced a contentious incident which sparked anger within the Leganes camp.
In the 94th minute, Leganes appealed for a penalty after contact in the box between defender Raul Asensio and Diamonde. The referee waved play on, rejecting protests from the visiting players and bench.
Shortly after the match, Diamonde spoke to the television programme “El Chiringuito” and questioned the decision not to award the spot-kick. His comments were resurfaced on Saturday by Barcelona-based newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”, bringing them back into the spotlight at a delicate moment in transfer talks.
“I don’t know why the referee didn’t give the penalty,” Diamonde said at the time.
The forward went further, openly criticising the overall officiating in the game. “I think the refereeing was bad, because there was no foul for Mbappe, and the penalty we asked for wasn’t given,” he added.
Diamonde then directly suggested Real Madrid habitually profit from such calls, saying: “Real Madrid are always like this (meaning they benefit from refereeing decisions).”
Social media reaction and club questions
Those remarks, largely forgotten since his move to the Bundesliga, have now been revived and circulated widely across social media platforms as Real Madrid move towards completing what would be one of the biggest transfers of the summer.
The timing has fuelled discussion among supporters and pundits over whether the comments could complicate, delay or otherwise influence Real Madrid’s pursuit of the forward.
As of now, there has been no public response from Real Madrid’s hierarchy regarding the resurfaced interview, nor any indication that their stance in negotiations with RB Leipzig has changed.
Diamonde, who already has experience of La Liga and the atmosphere around matches at the Santiago Bernabeu from his spell with Leganes, is seen as a long-term attacking investment by Real Madrid.
With a reported agreement in place on personal terms and a formal €120m offer on the table, the focus had been on club-to-club talks. The rediscovery of his past comments has added a new layer of intrigue, but whether it will have any tangible impact on the prospective deal remains unclear.
