It’s the kind of stat that stops you mid-scroll — and for Real Madrid fans, it’s not exactly a comfortable one. Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsí, still just 19 years old, already has more La Liga assists this season than Madrid’s summer attacking signing Yan Diomandé. Let that sink in.
What Happened
The eye-catching comparison was flagged by StatMuse on X (formerly Twitter) on October 17th, following Barcelona’s La Liga win over Real Betis. During that match, Cubarsí delivered a brave second-half header to tee up Eric García, taking his league assist tally for the 2026/27 season to two.
That puts the teenage Barça defender one ahead of Diomandé — a big-money forward who made the move to the Spanish capital this past summer — who sits on a single assist in La Liga so far this term. The numbers, blunt as they are, tell a story that will raise eyebrows across the Bernabéu faithful.
Assists this LaLiga season:
2 — Pau Cubarsí
1 — Yan Diomandé
Now, in isolation, raw assist tallies are never the whole picture — particularly early in a campaign. Diomandé is an attacker whose primary job is to score goals, and there’s far more to evaluating a forward’s contribution than creative output alone. Still, the optics of being out-assisted by an opposition centre-back are hard to ignore, and in the febrile world of Real Madrid vs Barcelona comparisons, this sort of stat travels fast.
What It Means for Real Madrid
Diomandé arrived at Madrid with considerable expectation attached to his transfer. New signings in the Spanish capital are always placed under the microscope, and the first few months of a debut season can either cement a player’s status or leave question marks hanging over a hefty fee. With just one league assist to his name at this stage, the pressure is on the young forward to start influencing games more consistently — whether that’s through goals, assists, or the kind of general creative havoc that changes matches.
From a broader Madrid perspective, the side’s attacking output and creativity have been a talking point throughout the early weeks of the season. Carlo Ancelotti — a manager renowned for getting the best from his forwards — will be well aware that a player of Diomandé’s profile needs time to settle into the rhythms of La Liga, but patience among fans and pundits alike only stretches so far when the transfer fee is substantial.
It’s also worth remembering that creativity in Madrid’s system has historically been more distributed than at many clubs. With the likes of Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, and others all capable of producing moments of quality, Diomandé may not always be in the prime position to rack up assists — but goals, at the very least, are expected to come.
What’s Next
Diomandé will have the chance to improve his numbers sooner rather than later. Real Madrid are due to face Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday — a fixture that could represent a third successive league victory since the international break if things go to plan. Getting on the scoresheet or contributing a goal-creating moment against Sevilla would go a long way toward quieting any creeping concern about his slow creative start to the campaign.
For now though, the stat is out there — and in the ongoing, exhausting, endlessly entertaining battle of narrative between Real Madrid and Barcelona, Cubarsí has landed a small but well-timed blow. The 19-year-old centre-back who assists more than your new attacker is, at minimum, excellent social media fodder for Culers everywhere. Madridistas will be hoping Diomandé has the answer on Sunday.
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