Bayern Munich star reveals dressing room reaction after Luis Diaz red card for challenge on Achraf Hakimi in PSG clash
Drama marred Bayern Munich’s 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain when Luis Diaz was sent off for a careless tackle that injured Achraf Hakimi.
Defender Josip Stanisic later made light of the red card, saying they “thanked” the Colombian winger for the tackle, while coach Vincent Kompany and others expressed worry.
Diaz’s brace in the first half gave the Bundesliga powerhouses a 2-0 lead, but shortly before halftime, mayhem broke out.
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After losing possession, the Colombian winger lunged in for a late tackle on Hakimi, catching the Moroccan full-back on the ankle.
Before being assisted off the pitch by physiotherapists, the PSG defender collapsed in obvious discomfort and was spotted crying.
After VAR intervened, referee Maurizio Mariani’s initial yellow card was changed to a red. But even with the extra player, PSG was unable to penetrate Bayern’s well-organised defensive.
The reigning champions’ late goal from Joao Neves was insufficient as Bayern hung on to win after a fierce battle.
Stanisic, a Bayern defender, stated after the game that Diaz should exercise more caution in similar circumstances.
The 25-year-old told reporters, “He knows himself that he needs to handle this kind of situation with more finesse.”
“No, we thanked him,” he joked when asked if the former Liverpool winger had shown regret for leaving the squad short-handed. I’m not serious! Like all of us, he was content.
Despite being light-hearted, Stanisic’s remark did not go over well on social media, with many calling it rude and inappropriate given the seriousness of the Moroccan’s injury.
After the game, the PSG full-back was spotted using crutches. According to reports from L’Equipe, he is anticipated to be sidelined until mid-December, possibly missing the start of the 2025 AFCON.
In the meantime, Bayern manager Kompany discussed the gravity of Hakimi’s injury and brought up a similar setback Jamal Musiala had in the Club World Cup versus PSG.
The Belgian manager stated, “It’s a shame that the PSG player had to come off injured,” in an interview with Sky Austria. I didn’t first believe it to be that risky.
Naturally, though, that did occur, and whenever a player sustains an injury, I constantly consider what happened to Musiala. In the USA, he broke his leg while playing PSG. “Is that comparable?” you ask yourself.
To be honest, though, what matters most to me is that Hakimi won’t be hurt for too long. I hope he gets well soon. Diaz will miss Bayern’s next Champions League game against Arsenal and serve a minimum one-game suspension after receiving his red card.
He would not be able to play against Sporting CP and Union Saint-Gilloise if UEFA were to extend the ban to three games. After that, he would be back in time for PSV’s last league phase match.
Bayern, who are undefeated this season and on a 16-game winning streak under Kompany, will have a significant test without the ex-liverpool player.
They go on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who have also been playing incredibly well. On Tuesday, they defeated Slavia Prague 3-0 to extend their winning streak to ten games.
Since coming from England, the Colombian winger has played in 16 games this season, contributing 14 goals and assists.
Against a team that hasn’t given up in eight straight games across all competitions, he might have been vital.
Diaz will be crucial for Bayern’s domestic games as they try to prolong their winning run, even though he won’t be allowed to play in their next three Champions League games.
With nine victories from nine games, the reigning Bundesliga champions are five points ahead of RB Leipzig. They will go to Union Berlin on Saturday prior to the international break.
After that, on November 22, they will play Freiburg in the Bundesliga before going back to European action to play the Gunners.
