Luis Díaz has one goal in four Bayern matches, but Kompany backs his form

One goal in four matches. That's the exact snapshot of Luis Díaz's start to the season with Bayern Munich, and in Germany people have already begun scrutinizing him closely. The Colombian, who arrived as one of the most decisive pieces of last season's league title run, went without scoring in his last two starts: against Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga and against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.

The drought, small in scale but enough to set off alarms in parts of the local press, brought on some uncomfortable questions ahead of the match against SV Elversberg. That's when Vincent Kompany stepped in to lower the temperature.

The Belgian coach didn't dodge the topic, but he also didn't join the chorus of doubters. For him, the numbers don't tell the whole story about "Lucho's" performance.

His energy is there and he's a constant threat. You also have to get to those positions first, keep making those runs from deep. Right now, he's getting into those situations and maybe he's just missing a bit of luck at the end: the shot deflects, or another player gets to it first.Vincent Kompany

It's a reading that holds up if you go back over the matches: Díaz hasn't vanished from the game, he keeps creating imbalance and getting into scoring areas. What hasn't shown up is the final finish, the one that made him one of Bayern Munich's key attacking references last season.

A different kind of test in the next round

The schedule shows no mercy. The Bavarians will again play on the road, and this time they'll face an opponent that arrived in the Bundesliga through the front door: a newly promoted side with a perfect record through its first two matches in the division. Nothing easy, though on paper Bayern go in as heavy favorites.

Kompany has already confirmed that Díaz will start, a sign that the coaching staff's confidence in him remains intact despite the outside noise. The Colombian will get another chance there to break the streak, which the coach insists is more about precision than performance.

Kompany himself was clear about what he expects going forward:

But the important thing is that he's getting the chances, and he needs to stay calm, then he'll start finding success in front of goal again.Vincent Kompany

The coach's confidence stands in contrast to the impatience showing up in parts of the German press, a common reaction when an attacking player goes through a stretch without goals. For Díaz, his coach's public support comes at a key moment: the season has barely started, and there's still plenty of room to turn things around.