Mamadou Diakhon missed Club Brugge’s 1-1 draw against RSC Anderlecht on Sunday due to disciplinary reasons after leaving the training ground in frustration, according to Sporza.
Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko kept his remarks brief when asked about the winger’s absence before kickoff. “Diakhon? He was not beschikbaar. Jammer, want hij zou gespeeld hebben,” Leko told Sporza, using the Dutch word for unavailable.
The 21-year-old forward reacted angrily during Saturday’s final training session upon learning he would not start in place of the injured Jan Virgili. Instead, Leko selected Félix Lemaréchal on the left wing, mirroring the lineup used previously against PSV. Prompted by the decision, Diakhon walked off the pitch and left the facility, as reported by VoetbalPrimeur.be.
Media reports indicate this is not the first disciplinary issue involving the player. Het Nieuwsblad said that Diakhon previously refused to substitute on during a match against La Louvière, and showed extreme frustration over benchings last season.
Club Brugge management met with the player following the incident. According to VoetbalPrimeur.be, the club opted against further sporting suspensions, choosing instead to issue a financial penalty while keeping the player within the first-team plans for upcoming fixtures.
Club Brugge acquired Diakhon from Stade de Reims in the summer of 2025 for a reported fee of 8,5 miljoen euro, signing him to a contract running until 2029. Ludo Vandewalle observed in club coverage that completely discarding the expensive young talent would amount to capital loss, though the player must urgently reflect on his attitude.
Leko previously addressed Diakhon’s difficult second season in Belgium after a promising start. “Vorig seizoen was er geen druk, met Tzolis voor hem in de pikorde. Als invaller is het makkelijker. Nu weegt het shirt 100 kilo en is er veel druk. Van mij, van de media, van de fans. Het tweede seizoen is altijd moeilijker,” Leko said.
Diakhon is expected to return to group training and could become eligible for selection again ahead of Club Brugge’s match against KV Mechelen in late November.
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