Diomande’s debut, Guler’s cameo, Goalscoring duo | Three takeaways from Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s win over Inter Milan midweek was appreciated and criticised at the same time, primarily because they seemingly escaped from defeat and dished out a poor showing.

Last night, Real Madrid partially turned that situation around by dominating Rayo Vallecano throughout the first-half and killing the game early on, eventually registering a 4-1 win.

There were reasons for worry to take away from the game, primarily the team’s lack of energy after the break, and inability to hold on to possession and create chances of importance.

However, as the manager reiterated in his press conference, his team’s style is not one where they build up to goals but one where pace and counters rule. In that sense, Los Blancos dished out a strong performance.

Madrid Universal brings you three takeaways from Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano.

It’s always them

Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham have been carrying Real Madrid’s attack almost single-handedly so far this season, and last night was no different.

Mbappe produced a solid display vs Rayo Vallecano. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The Frenchman was the one to open the scoring for Los Blancos from the penalty spot after Álvaro Carreras went down in the box, and then went on to produce a brilliant link-up play with the defender for the team’s second goal.

With a goal and an assist to his name already, Mbappe then struck in added time in the second half to complete the demolition of Rayo Vallecano with another perfect finish, and even hit the post once in the game.

Jude Bellingham, meanwhile, got on the end of Vinicius Jr.’s cut-back and hit it brilliantly first-time to slot it past the goalkeeper and register his name on the scoresheet.

At this point, it has become customary for both stars to score for Real Madrid and they are devastating in the final third. While it may be worrying that the team does not have any other major goalscoring outlets, the duo have proven to be reliable and consistent.

Yan Diomande’s full debut

The inclusion of Yan Diomande in the starting lineup last night caught the attention of fans across the globe, for it marked the player’s first start for Real Madrid since his arrival at the club.

With Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz performing impressively on the right-wing in recent games, there was serious pressure on Diomande to make the most of his start/

While he may not have registered a goal or an assist on the night, his performance was impressive and he left a mark with the energy and pace he brought.

In 72 minutes against Rayo Vallecano, Diomande was reliable on the ball and completed 92% of his attempted passes. He also racked up two key passes and had an xA of 0.09.

The new signing completed three of four attempted dribbles and two of three attempted crosses, showing that he can be a reliable creator from out wide.

He also put in a solid defensive shift and worked hard off the ball, winning three of three attempted tackles, making two interceptions and winning a staggering nine duels on the night.

A goal or an assist would have made his debut special, but there was a lot of promise in what he showed. There is, however, still a palpable difference in output between him and the other options the manager has trusted, and he has a long way to go.

Arda Guler kills the game

When Diomande left the field in the 72nd minute, it was Arda Guler who came on as his replacement on the right-wing. His arrival, in many ways, turned the game completely around.

Mourinho looking animated during the Rayo Vallecano clash. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Indeed, Real Madrid were already leading by a 3-1 margin at the time and had the game almost sealed. However, the second-half was anything but easy for the men in white.

The Merengues dropped in intensity after the break and did not operate at the same level as they did in the first-half. They appeared fatigued, and there was no energy in the team’s press.

As a result, Rayo Vallecano grew into the game and began creating opportunities of their own and even dominated the play for the first phase of the second half.

Guler’s entry, however, changed everything and brought the dominance back to Real Madrid’s court. Almost immediately, Los Blancos had a sense of purpose and began creating chances at the other end, taking the steam out of Rayo Vallecano’s sail.

In just 18 minutes and added time, Guler provided the assist for Mbappe’s second goal and had a staggering five key passes for Real Madrid. He also created two big chances and two accurate crosses.

Jose Mourinho admitted in his post-game press conference that Guler makes the team instantly better, and it is safe to say that the player currently has the right-wing role locked in for the big nights.