José Mourinho says Ivory Coast forward Yan Diomandé has everything required to become a regular starter, but believes the Real Madrid youngster’s opportunities are being limited by the quality of players around him.
The Portuguese manager praised the 19-year-old Ivorian’s ability and suggested that his lack of regular starts at the Spanish club should not be interpreted as a reflection of his performances.
“He lacks nothing. If he were in another team with players of lesser ability, he would undoubtedly be a starter playing the full 90 minutes in every match,” Mourinho said.
Mourinho’s assessment highlights the difficult challenge facing Diomandé as he attempts to establish himself at one of the world’s most competitive clubs.
The Ivorian is competing for playing time at Real Madrid, where a squad packed with established and highly rated players means even talented youngsters can struggle to secure consistent starts.
Diomandé’s situation, according to Mourinho, is therefore less about what the player is lacking and more about the level of competition within the Real Madrid squad.
The former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Manchester United manager expanded on his assessment when asked what Diomandé needs to do to become a regular starter.
The comments offer a strong endorsement of the Ivorian’s potential, while also illustrating the scale of the task facing young players attempting to break into Real Madrid’s starting line-up.
For Diomandé, regular opportunities could depend not only on his own performances but also on the players competing for the same positions and the choices made by the coaching staff.
Mourinho’s comments suggest that a move to a club with fewer established stars could potentially give the Ivorian a greater opportunity to play from the start and complete matches regularly.
However, remaining at Real Madrid also means Diomandé is developing in an environment where competition for places is particularly intense.
The situation is a familiar challenge for emerging African players who move into the squads of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Earning a place in a starting line-up filled with established international talent can be difficult even when a young player has the technical qualities required to perform at the highest level.
For the Ivorian, Mourinho’s assessment provides encouragement that his current role should not necessarily be viewed as a sign that he is short of the qualities required to succeed.
Instead, the Portuguese believes Diomandé is being judged against an exceptionally high standard because of the players available to Real Madrid.
Mourinho’s remarks therefore place the focus on the competition around Diomandé rather than on any perceived weakness in his game.
