Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has called on forward Luis Diaz to step up for the club’s upcoming match against Freiburg, with the Colombian winger set to miss the midweek clash against Arsenal. Diaz was shown a red card in Bayern’s 2-1 win over Paris Saint Germain and will now serve his suspension in the Champions League fixture against the Gunners.
Diaz's impressive start to the season
Diaz joined Bayern in the summer for €75 million (£65m/$84m) from Liverpool and has quickly become one of the team’s standout performers. The Colombian winger has scored 11 goals in 17 games this season, thriving on the left flank in Kompany’s 4-2-3-1 system. Diaz’s impressive goal against Union Berlin has drawn widespread praise, particularly from former World Cup–winning captain Lothar Matthaus. However, Diaz was sent off in Bayern’s match against PSG for a reckless two-footed tackle on Achraf Hakimi, which left the Moroccan full-back getting stretchered off. As a result of the red card, Diaz will now miss Bayern’s upcoming mid week Champions League clash against Arsenal.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesKompany's challenge to Diaz
Bayern return to domestic action looking to bounce back from last week's draw against Union Berlin, which brought an end to their perfect record in all competitions so far this season. Kompany is hoping his side get the job done this weekend and feels Diaz has no reason to hold back.
Speaking at a press conference, Kompany urged Diaz to give his all in Bayern's clash against Freiburg, especially with him missing the midweek fixture. He said: "In his [Diaz] case, there's no question of managing his workload. He has to go full throttle tomorrow and help us. On Wednesday against Arsenal, it will be up to the others.
"The match against Arsenal won't have much influence on Freiburg anyway. The lads are going into the Freiburg match full of energy. We want to win the match and aren't thinking about Arsenal yet."
UEFA is yet to officially confirm the length of Diaz’s suspension, but Kompany revealed his understanding of the situation, saying: "My information is one match. I don't know when it will be communicated, but I would be disappointed if my information is not correct."
Kompany's assessment of the season
Bayern's 2-2 draw against Berlin meant Kompany couldn't equal the record Kompany equal his mentor Pep Guardiola’s record of 10 consecutive victories in his first 10 Bundesliga matches of a campaign, a milestone the former Barcelona boss set during the 2015-16 season. Bayern have launched their season in stunning form, stitching together a 17-match unbeaten streak spanning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, DFL-Supercup and Champions League. The run looks even more remarkable when you factor in the squad changes: the departures of key attackers such as Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman and Thomas Muller, along with unsuccessful attempts to sign players like Nick Woltemade and Rafael Leao.
Yet Kompany has turned those challenges into clarity. He has established a well-defined, tightly coordinated system built on persistence, collective movement and fluid attacking rotations. The structure has brought out the best in Harry Kane, who is operating at an extraordinary scoring rate of 23 in just 17 matches.
"We didn't win the last game against Union, I haven't forgotten that," Kompany said. "It doesn't feel like the perfect season. Above all, you have to be strong at the end, otherwise you won't get anything. Our great start is just a bonus for now. Our goal is to be even stronger at the end of the season than we are now."
Getty Images SportBayern's challenge against Freiburg
During the international break, Kompany would have taken the opportunity to reassess his squad and explore tactical variations to ensure Bayern maintain their intensity across the entire campaign. He will also hope that Díaz returns with the hunger to make amends for his suspension and play a decisive role when Bayern face Freiburg on Saturday.