In a report published by the French newspaper L'Equipe, the focus was on the outstanding performance of Moroccan international Brahim Diaz during Real Madrid's match against Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, describing him as "emerging from his African shadows" after a difficult period he recently experienced.

The newspaper clarified that Diaz remained affected since missing the "Panenka" penalty in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which deprived the Moroccan team of the title, even though his participation in the tournament was generally positive.

The report added that the Real Madrid forward sought to overcome that moment by putting in a lot of effort to get more playing time, but coach Álvaro Arbeloa's choices reduced his chances, as he has only started in six matches this season.

The newspaper pointed out that two seasons ago, Diaz was the "twelfth man" for Real Madrid, contributing effectively to the team's historic double win of the Spanish League and the Champions League, before his participation decreased this season.

According to the report, the 26-year-old Moroccan player had only been participating for a few minutes since Arbeloa took over as the team's coach in January. He even felt frustrated after being excluded as a substitute in the Champions League playoff match against Benfica, as the coach preferred to give opportunities to younger players.

The report revealed that Diaz requested a meeting with his coach to express his lack of understanding of his situation within the team, which prompted Arbeloa to admit, saying: "Brahim plays less than he deserves, and I am responsible for that because he trains well and has great potential."

After this conversation, Diaz started against Celta Vigo before delivering an impressive performance against Manchester City, where he moved between the lines, contributed defensively, and exerted constant pressure on the English team's defense.

Although Díaz is not as prolific a scorer as Kylian Mbappé, the newspaper noted that he embodies the energy and enthusiasm that Real Madrid has recently lacked, alongside his technical skills and team spirit. The report concluded with the question: Was Díaz's brilliance against Manchester City just a fleeting moment, or the beginning of a real turning point in his season with Real Madrid?