The Dominican Republic international knows what it feels like to wait for chances at Madrid. The forward broke into the senior team during the 2016-17 season, scoring five goals in 14 appearances, but spent most of his time behind the famous 'BBC' trio of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Los Blancos went on to win the Champions League and enjoy their most successful campaign in decades, but Mariano’s role was limited.
"It was one of the best teams I’ve ever played for because it wasn’t just the starters, but also what the press called ‘Plan B’. It was a bit curious, but the truth is that Plan B was like Plan A."
At the end of that season, Diaz moved to Lyon to play regularly, a decision he now sees as crucial in his development. However, he returned a year later after Cristiano Ronaldo's shocking move to Juventus.
"As it was Madrid, I wasn’t going to say no,” Mariano recalled. "But they told me that this time it would be different, and that was one of the reasons I wanted to return."
Injuries derailed his progress, and he was again playing a bench role until his exit in 2023.