Bayern Munich and Germany Outraged by Luis Diaz’s Punishment

One month ago, on November 4, Paris Saint-Germain hosted Bayern Munich for the fourth matchday of the Champions League group stage. It was a high-profile clash between the defending champions and an undefeated German team. Bayern benefited from the skills of their new recruit, Luis Diaz, a player that PSG coach Luis Enrique and sporting director Luis Campos had long hoped to sign. However, the Colombian, who moved from Liverpool to Bayern, chose a different path. In Paris, fans witnessed both Diaz’s brilliance—he scored two quick goals—and his darker moment, a reckless tackle on Achraf Hakimi.

Hakimi stayed on the ground and left the field in tears, assisted by staff members. Both PSG and Morocco soon feared the worst for their right-back. He suffered a severe ankle sprain that might jeopardize his participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Reactions from Bayern Munich after their 2-1 victory and Diaz’s expulsion were somewhat surprising. Josip Stanicic remarked: “He knows he needs to be smarter in such situations. Did he apologize to the team? No, he didn’t. We thanked him (laughs). Just joking! He was happy. Like all of us.”

A Dangerous Tackle on Achraf Hakimi

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer downplayed the incident involving his teammate. “I was told it wasn’t particularly harsh, not a foul worthy of a red card. I’m not sure if it was excessively strict; that’s for others to decide.” Sports director Max Eberl commented, “Luis Diaz was the first to enter the locker room and shook hands with every player. That exemplifies team spirit. He’s grateful to the team, and in turn, the team appreciates him for scoring two goals.” Following criticism from PSG fans on social media, Diaz eventually responded.

“It was a night full of emotions. Football always reminds us that in 90 minutes anything can happen—the good and the bad. I was sad to not finish the match with my teammates, but proud of their incredible effort. I wish Hakimi a quick return to the field.” The story didn’t end there. On November 21, Bild reported that UEFA had sanctioned Luis Diaz with a three-match suspension for his actions. Subsequently, Bayern Munich requested UEFA to justify its decision, hoping to appeal. The Bavarians expected a lighter penalty, as Vincent Kompany acknowledged to the press.

Bayern Munich Anticipated a Lenient Punishment

“We all followed the situation and thought it would only be a one-match suspension. But other opinions were shared.” Like their coach, the club’s management is furious about what they see as an unjust decision. CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen stated: “We were as surprised as everyone else. We did not expect this at all. It was clearly a serious foul, but it wasn’t an act of violence or directed at the referee, and there were no further infractions after the foul. Such behaviors have already led to three-match suspensions. We’ll see if we can get a reduction. Realistically, it’s rarely successful.”

Sports director Max Eberl has called for more leniency. “I’m not naive enough to believe it will only be one match. If we could get it reduced by one, that would already be fantastic. It was a foul. Two matches for a single foul is already a fair and appropriate sanction, in my opinion.” However, Bayern’s communication strategy doesn’t seem to be yielding results. Recently, Sport1 revealed that Bayern has received no updates from UEFA regarding their appeal, as the club awaited written confirmation from the organization before formally submitting their request.

The Germans Are Frustrated with UEFA

This has caused delays, and the Munich team is starting to lose patience. Having already missed Diaz during their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal, they are set to face Sporting CP on Tuesday at 6:15 PM IST, followed by Union Saint-Gilloise on January 21. Bayern Munich believes UEFA has taken too long to issue their initial decision—almost three weeks for the suspension announcement—and they are eager for a resolution. Club officials are confused, and impatience is growing, as Sport1 reports. There is talk of anger and annoyance. Journalist for Fussball Transfers, Lukas Hörster shares this sentiment.

“Personally, I think it’s excessive. Even though I understand the reasons for the red card, I believe a yellow would have sufficed (without VAR intervention). Diaz intended to tackle the ball, and Hakimi stumbled, causing the unfortunate incident. However, he took too many risks with that tackle. So, the red card is justified. But a three-match suspension is far too much.” The sentiment is likely different in Paris, where they will be without the 2025 African Ballon d’Or winner for weeks. Vincent Kompany will also miss Luis Diaz in the Champions League, especially since with the Colombian, Bayern Munich exhibits an even more appealing performance. The footballer, purchased for €75 million this summer, has already scored 12 goals and provided 6 assists in 20 appearances across all competitions.