Lassana Diarra

Lassana Diarra (born 10 March 1985) is a France association football who currently plays for Spain La Liga club Real Madrid C.F. and the France national football team. Lassana Diarra predominant position is defensive midfielder but Lassana Diarra can also play in a more advanced role and has played at right back, which Lassana Diarra did for Chelsea F.C. and currently for France. . In Spain, Lassana Diarra is known as Lass to distinguish Lassana Diarra from Real Madrid teammate Mahamadou Diarra, with whom Lassana Diarra has no relation.

Club career

Early career

Diarra suffered rejection many times as a youngster. The first at FC Nantes Atlantique, where Lassana Diarra was deemed too "small and lightweight," at 170 cm and 57 kg (5'7" and 9 Stone (weight)), to succeed. Diarra admitted to thinking Lassana Diarra thought Lassana Diarra "football career was over." Lassana Diarra next stop was Le Mans Union Club 72, where Diarra claimed they "didn't seem to care" about him.

Le Havre

Diarra started Lassana Diarra career at Le Havre AC, a French football team currently playing in the Second Division. A standout in Lassana Diarra defensive midfield role, Lassana Diarra reputation started to grow and impressive performances saw Lassana Diarra selection to the French U-21 squad. Along with the reputation came club interest, and Chelsea F.C. became potential suitors. With Claude Makélélé getting ever older, Chelsea's wide network of scouts tagged Diarra as the "new Makélélé" and promptly paid Pound sterling1 million for Lassana Diarra services in July 2005.

Chelsea

Diarra immediately became a member of Chelsea F.C.'s first team squad for 2005-06, but did not get much first team football. Lassana Diarra Chelsea debut came in the UEFA Champions League in October 2005, when Lassana Diarra was given a brief run out as a substitute when Chelsea were 4-0 up against Real Betis. However, Lassana Diarra was not expected nor was Lassana Diarra expecting to come straight into the side. Learning behind a master of Lassana Diarra position, Lassana Diarra improved throughout the season, showing impressively when playing for the reserve team. Lassana Diarra impressed against Huddersfield Town F.C. in the FA Cup third round, winning rave reviews from both managers, teammates, and media sources. Lassana Diarra became a bit part player in Chelsea's first team and also completed the full 90 minutes in Chelsea's last two games of the season at Blackburn Rovers F.C. and Newcastle United F.C., as manager José Mourinho rotated Lassana Diarra squad.

Diarra was named Chelsea's young player of the season for the season of 2005–06. Due to Chelsea's defensive injury setbacks during the 2006–07 season, Lassana Diarra was often asked to play at right-back. Lassana Diarra played full Premiership games against Blackburn Rovers, Charlton Athletic F.C., and Middlesbrough F.C., with some success, and also started in Chelsea's win over Arsenal F.C. in the Football League Cup Final 2007 at the Millennium Stadium. On 29 July, reports surfaced suggesting Lassana Diarra could be on Lassana Diarra way to Arsenal in pursuit of first-team football. Lassana Diarra contract with Chelsea was due to expire in January 2008, and having made no move to extend it Lassana Diarra was sold to Arsenal on 31 August 2007, before Lassana Diarra could leave on a Bosman ruling.

Arsenal

On 31 August 2007, transfer deadline day, Diarra completed a move to Arsenal F.C. for an undisclosed amount. Lassana Diarra wore the number 8 shirt, vacated by the departure of Fredrik Ljungberg. On Lassana Diarra move across London, Lassana Diarra cited Gunners manager Arsène Wenger as one of the main reasons for joining the club, along with the style of football Arsenal play. Wenger had called the young Frenchman a "multi functional player," adding that Lassana Diarra is a good addition to the squad.

Diarra made Lassana Diarra Arsenal debut as a late substitute in the home leg of the 2007–08 Champions League group stage match against Sevilla FC, and Lassana Diarra full debut against Newcastle United F.C. in the third round of the Football League Cup. Diarra started Lassana Diarra first Premier League match for Arsenal against Aston Villa F.C..

Due to the emergence of defensive midfielder Mathieu Flamini in the Arsenal side, however, Diarra saw limited action in the early months of Arsenal's season. Diarra began to get increasingly impatient at Arsenal and expressed concerns that Lassana Diarra wanted a transfer in the January window because Lassana Diarra has not seen enough first team football. After only five months at Arsenal, Diarra signed for Portsmouth F.C. in January 2008 for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £5.5 million.

Portsmouth

Diarra signed for Portsmouth F.C. on 17 January 2008, citing that the lack of first team football at Arsenal would harm Lassana Diarra chances of selection for UEFA Euro 2008.
Lassana Diarra was given Lassana Diarra first start against Derby, contributing to a 3-1 win at Fratton Park, wearing the number 6 shirt. Lassana Diarra scored Lassana Diarra first goal for the club in the following match, against FA Cup Fourth Round Football League Championship opponents Plymouth Argyle F.C., and Lassana Diarra first Premier League goal two weeks later, a late winner against Bolton Wanderers F.C.. Diarra went on to play in every minute of Portsmouth's remaining FA Cup matches FA Cup 2007-2008 to claiming the trophy in the 2008 FA Cup Final. Lassana Diarra finished Premier League 2007-08 by being included in the France national football team squad for Euro 2008; this and the FA Cup win arguably vindicated Lassana Diarra decision to part company with Arsenal, Diarra himself saying that it had "more than justified my decision." Lassana Diarra played in the 2008 Community Shield against Manchester United, missing in the penalty shoot out which was won by United. On September 18, 2008 Lassana Diarra scored Pompey's first ever goal in UEFA Cup. The first misconduct (football) of Diarra's Premiership career came on 28 September 2008 when Lassana Diarra was booked twice against Tottenham Hotspur F.C. at Fratton Park. In mid December 2008, Portsmouth agreed a fee with Real Madrid C.F. subject to medical that Lassana Diarra would join them, on the 1 January 2009 for a fee of around Euro20 million (£18.88 million).

Real Madrid

Portsmouth announced on 17 December 2008 that they had accepted a "substantial" offer from Real Madrid C.F. for Diarra's services Diarra was assigned the shirt number of Mahamadou Diarra for domestic competitions as the Malian midfielder would be out with a season-ending injury. Lassana Diarra will, therefore, wear the name "Lass" on the back of Lassana Diarra shirt to avoid comparison. Lassana Diarra transfer was officially completed on 1 January 2009, the opening of the transfer window. Lassana Diarra was assigned with the number 39 for the UEFA Champions League.

International career

Diarra has been capped eight times for the France national under-21 football team. Perhaps Lassana Diarra most notable performance came in a UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualifying match against England national under-21 football team in November 2005. With the game deep into stoppage time and seemingly destined for extra time (the aggregate score was 2–2), Diarra received the ball in the England penalty area. A challenge from Kieran Richardson saw Diarra go down, and a penalty was given. Lassana Diarra French teammate Jimmy Briand scored the penalty past Scott Carson and France qualified.

Diarra was selected for the France national football team by coach Raymond Domenech for a 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying away to Lithuania national football team on 24 March 2007. Lassana Diarra started the match, alongside Claude Makélélé and Jérémy Toulalan also in midfield, and played the full 90 minutes. Lassana Diarra was also selected that year for a Exhibition game against Austria national football team on 28 March 2007. Diarra's consistent club performances in 2008 meant that Lassana Diarra was picked for the France squad for Euro 2008 - ahead of other high-calibre players such as Djibril Cissé and Mathieu Flamini. However, with France failing to progress beyond the group stages, Diarra did not feature in any of their three matches. However, following the international retirement of fellow defensive midfielder Makélélé, Lassana Diarra was called up for Raymond Domenech's France squad for a 20 August 2008 friendly with Sweden national football team.