Demichelis says Diomande had told him he wanted to take the next step

“I had a few conversations with Diomande, and he told me he wanted to take the next step in his career.” The coach was speaking about Yan Diomande, the most expensive player in the history of the Madrid club, who left Leipzig last summer, just days after Demichelis took charge of the team.

Martín Demichelis spoke virtually with several media outlets on the eve of his Tuesday press conference and Leipzig’s Champions League match against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. He said he had spent little time with Diomande: when he arrived, the player was at the World Cup, so he knew him mainly from watching him on television. Demichelis also praised the winger’s rapid development and said he believed a bright future lay ahead.

In his view, Diomande is among the players capable of making a difference on either wing. The coach pointed to his comfort on both feet, his speed, his defensive work and his ability to win duels. He also noted the importance modern football places on highly incisive wide players.

Demichelis’s comments came on the eve of a demanding fixture for his team. Before facing Real Madrid, he stressed the need to keep the ball and take the initiative. “Against Real Madrid, we have to be very careful with possession because their transitions are extremely dangerous,” he warned, adding that two passes could be enough for one of their attackers to make the difference.

Asked about José Mourinho’s comments after Leipzig’s 6-1 Bundesliga defeat to Bayern, Demichelis said he hoped to see a different version of his team in Madrid. He acknowledged that Leipzig had not been itself, with or without the ball, the previous weekend, but said he was confident the team could make changes. He described the upcoming game as a rare opportunity against a Real Madrid side with forwards capable of unsettling opponents, as well as high-level midfielders and defenders.

Demichelis also spoke about his connection with Leipzig, pointing to shared principles, particularly in developing young players. He said the club had hired him in part because of his work with young talent, while accepting responsibility for the weekend performance. On Real Madrid’s midfield, he praised the quality of the current players and said their use would depend on the coach’s choices.