Champions LeaguePublished 4 hours ago 2 min read Español

Bayern Munich stands by Luis Diaz despite goal drought

After another goal wiped out by VAR against Augsburg, sporting director Max Eberl said the Colombian "is clearly on the upswing" even if the numbers don't show it yet.

Bayern Munich stands by Luis Diaz despite goal drought

VAR spoiled the party for Luis Diaz once again. During Bayern Munich's trip to Augsburg for matchday five of the Bundesliga, the Colombian thought he had scored with a bicycle kick he celebrated at the top of his lungs, but the goal was ruled out for an offside by Josip Stanisic earlier in the move. A second offside call also cost him another clear chance. So the winger from La Guajira is still waiting for his first goal since returning to club competition.

The good news for Diaz is that, despite the scoring drought, there's no sense of alarm in Munich. Quite the opposite: the Bavarian club came out to publicly back him and stress that his performance goes well beyond the stat sheet.

Sporting director Max Eberl spoke to the newspaper BILD and was clear about what that disallowed goal against Augsburg meant.

We would have been very happy if the goal had counted, because it would have done him a lot of good. He's getting back to his best form, you can see him moving well, getting involved in the play, he keeps solving situations.Max Eberl

The sporting director didn't stop there, going further when discussing the Colombian winger's current form.

I think he's clearly on the upswing.Max Eberl

The numbers, however, still show a Diaz who hasn't quite found the back of the net this second season in Bayern colors: just one goal in eight matches across the three competitions the team has played. That's a low tally for a player of his caliber, but one that Munich is reading with patience, especially after the impression he left against Augsburg.

Next stop: Norway

The Colombian will soon get another shot at breaking the streak. Bayern will travel to face Vikings FK in matchday two of the UEFA Champions League league phase, a match set for October 13 at 2:00 PM (Colombia time) in Norway.

It will be a fresh opportunity for Diaz to confirm what Eberl sees: a player who gets involved, moves well and solves problems on the field, even if the scoreboard hasn't caught up yet. The goal, it seems, is just a matter of time.

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