Real Madrid have never lacked attacking talent. What they have lacked at times is a clear idea of how to fit it together. Vinicius Jr's four-match La Liga suspension has forced Jose Mourinho to look again, and the early evidence is encouraging.
In last weekend's 4-1 win over Sevilla, Real played some of their best attacking football of the season. Kylian Mbappe led the line, Endrick played on the right, Yan Diomande on the left, and Jude Bellingham worked in midfield. On Wednesday against RB Leipzig, the same scoreline came with a different shape: Mbappe up front, with Vinicius and Arda Guler behind him. Mourinho has said no player is untouchable.
Diomande finds his feet
Diomande cost a reported 150 million euros from Leipzig, where he scored 12 goals and set up nine last season. Mourinho took weeks to use him, and he started none of the first five games. That has flipped. He has started five of the last six matches, including the last three, and has three goals and four assists. He averages the most completed dribbles per 90 minutes in the squad and is third for chances created in open play.
He replaced Vinicius in the 69th minute against Leipzig and promptly scored Real's fourth with a spectacular volley. Mourinho likes what he sees off the ball too. "He works well and hard, he's humble and wants to learn and work. He listens to me and his team-mates. He will grow," the manager said.
Endrick and Espi make their case
Endrick's position is more awkward. The 20-year-old Brazilian arrived with huge expectations and has struggled to get regular minutes in a crowded squad. He spent the second half of 2025-26 on loan at Lyon. His outing against Roma showed what he adds: acceleration, direct running and a readiness to take defenders on. He can play on the right or through the middle, and his close control could help against sides that press hard.
Carlos Espi, 21, offers something different. The 6ft 4in striker arrived after an 11-goal league season at Levante and has scored three goals in only 37 minutes across La Liga and the Champions League. He is a natural centre-forward who can occupy centre-backs and attack crosses. With Mbappe the first-choice striker, Espi's best role for now is off the bench against tired legs.
The Clasico test
All of this arrives at an awkward moment. Madrid are third on 21 points, and Sunday brings the trip to Barcelona. It is arguably the biggest test of Diomande's short Real career, and the first of three league games still to come without Vinicius, who stays available for Champions League matches. The harder question for Mourinho comes later: what happens to a front line that works when Vinicius comes back?
Context: Vinicius Jr serves a four-match La Liga ban, starting with the Clasico at Barcelona on Sunday. Real beat Sevilla 4-1 last weekend and RB Leipzig 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday. Source: BBC Sport.
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