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SportsAltimira witnesses Diomande's explosive rise at Leganés: beaten repeatedly in one-on-ones
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The article recounts how Deportivo full-back Adrià Altimira experienced firsthand the emergence of Ivorian winger Yan Diomande during a friendly match while both were at Leganés. Coach Borja Jiménez described how Diomande repeatedly beat Altimira in one-on-one situations, showcasing his dribbling, power, and finishing. This performance convinced Jiménez to promote Diomande to the first team, where he nearly caused a penalty against Real Madrid. Diomande now plays for RB Leipzig and is a target for Real Madrid. The article also notes that Altimira and Diomande could face each other again in the Teresa Herrera trophy on August 12.
Source report
Some players reveal their talent from the very first training session. Deportivo knows this well, having witnessed talents like Yeremay, David Mella—already established as club heroes—and Bil Nsongo, who led the blue-and-white frontline in the final third of last season.
Borja Jiménez, the first to test the Canary star in first-team training at Abegondo, replicated a similar experiment at Leganés with Yan Diomande—the RB Leipzig star whom Real Madrid now seeks to sign at great expense.
A Coach's Eye for Talent
The Ávila-born coach promoted Leganés in 2023 and led the pepinero side through a challenging La Liga campaign in 2024-25. Among his squad was Adrià Altimira, now the established right-back at Riazor. The full-back spent a season on loan at Butarque, seeking minutes and prominence in the top flight. Both coach and player witnessed Diomande's rise firsthand.
Diomande's Breakthrough in Front of Altimira
Diomande trained in the United States and joined the pepinero reserve team midway through the 2024-25 campaign.
"During the last international break, we played a friendly at Butarque against the reserve team. We saw Yan there. On the first play, he dribbled past Altimira, who was on that flank, and switched the ball to his other foot. The second action was very similar, and the third was a very powerful ball into space, with an incredible touch. On the fourth, he switched the ball to his other foot in the box and hit the top corner," recalled the former Deportivo coach on the Outsiders podcast.
That performance convinced Borja Jiménez to promote him to the first team just ahead of a match against Real Madrid, where Diomande nearly won a penalty in the final minutes.
"From there, his story writes itself. He was with us for a month and a half. I always say that if he had arrived in January, we would have finished in the Conference [League]," added the Ávila-born coach, who now manages Al-Ahli in the Qatari league.
What Lies Ahead
The winger, currently under contract with German side RB Leipzig, is considered a future prospect for Real Madrid. If he joins the club under José Mourinho, he could face Altimira again in less than a month—on August 12, in the Teresa Herrera trophy at Riazor.
Source: La Opinión A Coruña
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Altimira Witnesses Yan Diomande's Explosive Rise at Leganés