As the match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the 1/8 UEFA Champions League was about to end, fans of the home team shouted brahim Diaz's name throughout the Bernabeu stands.
On a day when Vinicius and Mbappe were stuck in the midst of Atletico's besiege, Diaz and Rodrygo (MVP) were the heroes of Real Madrid. After the match, captain Carlo Ancelotti himself said that this pair are the best players in the world today.
Brahim Diaz started to replace Jude Bellingham after the English midfielder was suspended. However, the Moroccan midfielder was not overwhelmed. His 2-1 goal in the 55th minute proved that. Real played this Madrid Derby very slowly, just like they lost 1-2 to Betis last weekend. If it weren't for Diaz and Rodrygo's two superstar moments, things could have been very bad for Los Blancos.
After Diaz's somewhat provincial celebration of the visitors' captain Simeone, he has gone down the history of Real Madrid. The 25-year-old striker is the fifth player in Real Madrid's history in the 21st century to score against Atletico in three competitions: La Liga, Champions League and Copa Del Rey.
Since the beginning of the season, in all competitions, Diaz has had 6 goals and 7 assists. For Ancelotti, what Diaz brought Real Madrid was more than the 2-1 goal against Atletico. It's a tireless fighting spirit and a great connection with the fans. Los Blancos fans are always burning out every time Diaz scores, as if he is the number 1 superstar of this team, not anyone else.
After Diaz's brilliant performance, Ancelotti was put in a rather difficult position when asked by reporters whether Diaz should be on the bench in the return match when Bellingham is out of suspension?
"It would be unfair to say that Diaz will return to the bench in the next match. There will be many controversies but it cannot be denied that he is very important for the club. From last year to this year, Diaz's role has always been the same, making the most of every opportunity given" - Carlo Ancelotti shared.
Last season, Brahim Diaz played 2,094 minutes in 45 appearances, making him the 15th most used player in the Real Madrid squad. He has scored 12 goals and had 9 assists. This season, Diaz wants more than that. He always said he felt very happy at Madrid and wanted to contribute to the club to the end.
If there are no injuries, Bellingham will return to the Real Madrid starting lineup next week in the return match at Wanda Metropolitano. However, Diaz is ready to once again cause sadness to his big rivals in the same city. Perhaps, Ancelotti should have sat Diaz on the bench at first to stimulate his explosive spirit, then sent him onto the pitch to release all the available energy.
