Two names from outside the spotlight have handed Real Madrid precious victories at the moments that mattered most. Carlos Espi and Yan Diomande were not high in the calculations at the start of the season, yet they have contributed to 7 of the 18 points the side has gathered in La Liga, giving Jose Mourinho extra solutions at a stage where dropping more points is unthinkable.
From Espanyol's ground to the Santiago Bernabeu, and from the second round to the eighth, the pair have played a decisive role in Real Madrid's wins, with the team at times unable to impose its rhythm or rely on its usual stars, according to Spanish newspaper "Marca".
Carlos Espi keeps making the most of his chances. He joined Real Madrid from Levante for 25 million euros, the value of his release clause, and despite his role as a substitute the forward has proved he can make the difference, scoring 7 goals this season, including 5 in a single match with the under-21 side on his first start, a striking achievement at that level.
Those five goals came in 142 minutes, roughly one every 20 minutes, an indication of his finishing instincts and his ability to take chances inside the box. For the first team, though, the real currency was results. Espi scored two decisive goals, both in the 90th minute or later after coming off the bench, turning a draw into a victory on two occasions.
Against Espanyol, he broke the 1-1 deadlock. He appeared again against Elche, when Real Madrid were in danger of losing two points after squandering a two-goal lead, netting the winner in a 3-2 victory in stoppage time. Those two goals gave the team four precious points and confirmed that substitutes can be decisive even on limited minutes.
Yan Diomande is living a different story. He joined Real Madrid for 140 million euros, a record deal that made him the most expensive player in the club's history, according to the account given in the report.
The 19-year-old Ivorian carries great hopes, amid the gamble on his talent and his ability to develop under Mourinho's leadership.
His first goal in a Real Madrid shirt arrived against Villarreal, a decisive moment in a match where the team had not produced the expected level. One goal is not enough to justify the enormous value of the deal. It does represent an important start for the young player, who showed a glimpse of his potential just when the team needed someone to make the difference.
That attacking contribution was one of the standout moments of the second half, after Real Madrid lacked effectiveness and rhythm, giving Diomande's supporters an additional reason to be optimistic about his future.
What links Espi and Diomande is not just their contribution in collecting points. Both turned up at the moments when Real Madrid needed alternative solutions, while their stars were unable to impose their control in the usual manner.
A team whose level swings between brilliance and decline within a single match has found an important source of decisiveness in its supporting players, whether through late goals or individual flashes capable of changing the course of a game.
Seven points do not settle the league race in October. They could still make an important difference in the title calculations, after helping Real Madrid avoid further stumbles and drifting even further behind league leaders Barcelona.
Mourinho continues to search for stability and a more consistent performance. Espi and Diomande are proving that the road to victories does not always depend on the big names, but can be built by the feet of players who wait for their chance, then take it at the right moment.