A brace that upends Mourinho's calculations: Spanish journalist says the bench is Vinicius's place
Garrido on Real Madrid's display: I don't know what happened in Rome!
Spanish journalist Dani Garrido praised the striking understanding between Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande on Real Madrid's left flank, considering that the presence of the Ivorian player gave the Spanish full-back greater room to contribute going forward, and reduced his struggles in defensive duties.
Speaking on "Carrusel Deportivo" on "Cadena SER" radio, Garrido highlighted the harmony between the pair in the match against Racing Santander. Diomande's movements, he pointed out, give Cucurella better options down the left.
Diomande played his part in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Racing Santander on Sunday, rounding off the scoring for Los Merengues. They had already wrapped up the game in the first half through goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham.
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The bench: this is Vinicius's place
The Spanish pundit said: "Diomande has a wonderful understanding with Cucurella. What a left flank Real Madrid have with the two of them together. When Vinicius plays, Cucurella appears less attacking and struggles more on the defensive level."
Garrido went further still, turning to Vinicius's awaited return and arguing that the Brazilian winger should not automatically reclaim his starting place. "When Vinicius returns, he should sit on the bench, and on a bench the size of a piano!" he quipped, a sarcastic dig at the idea of handing him a guaranteed spot in the starting eleven, according to the website Defensa Central.
For Garrido, José Mourinho must keep the pieces that have worked rather than ripping up the lineup just to fit a returning star back in. Collective harmony, he reckons, should drive the manager's choices.
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I don't know what happened in Rome
Garrido also praised the way Real Madrid have improved under Mourinho, saying: "I don't know what happened in Rome, but Mourinho found a path and kept developing it, and it could bring him good results."
He leapt to Jude Bellingham's defence too, echoing Mourinho's view that the Englishman has gone underappreciated in the Ballon d'Or race. At his best, Garrido reckons, Bellingham belongs among the five best players in the world.
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