Luis Díaz returns to Bayern Munich's starting XI after standout week in training

Luis Díaz was left on the bench against SV Elversberg, and plenty of people started wondering what was going on with the Colombian. The answer seems simple enough: rotation. For Friday's match against Union Berlin, "Lucho" is back in Bayern Munich's starting lineup, and he earned the spot after a week of training that left his coach pleased.

Vincent Kompany didn't hold back when asked about the Colombian. The Bavarian manager was clear about what he'd seen in training over the past few days.

He's scored a ton of goals in training. It's been a good week for him, and if he can carry that over into the match, everything will be fine for him again.Vincent Kompany

The truth is that the start of the season hasn't gone the way Díaz hoped: just one goal in three Bundesliga matches, along with the usual questions that come up when a winger of his caliber isn't finding the back of the net as often as expected. But inside the club in Munich, nobody seems to be panicking. Executives, coaching staff and teammates all agree it's only a matter of time before his attacking output picks back up.

A Bayern side looking to reclaim first place

The defending champions return to the Allianz Arena after a two-match road trip that saw them lose top spot in the standings. They took four points out of a possible six, which was enough to hand the lead to a Freiburg side that's off to a perfect start, with nine points.

Now the opponent is Union Berlin, sitting third from bottom and still without a win through the first three matchdays. Still, Kompany isn't taking anything for granted, warning that the Berlin side arrives with significant changes.

Union have undergone a transformation in how they play. They've brought in a very successful coach. The confidence he carries will also shape his decisions. Whatever happens, we're prepared for whatever adjustments the opponent might make.Vincent Kompany

The coach also welcomed having his entire squad available ahead of the upcoming international break: "We have the whole squad available and we want to keep it that way. During the three weeks of the international break, we hope the guys stay in shape," he added.

Harry Kane arrives in fine form after scoring the winner in a tight victory over newly promoted SV Elversberg, his first home goal of the campaign. On the visitors' side, midfielder Tim Skarke was the standout with two goals in the last matchday.

The numbers back Bayern up: they sit fourth in the table, two points off the lead, after beating one of the league's surprise packages 2-1. On the other side, Union Berlin has the second-worst defense in the competition, having conceded 10 goals in three matchdays, with just a single point to their name.

The most recent meeting between the two sides tells a clear story: on March 21, 2026, the champions cruised to a 4-0 win, with goals from Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry (twice) and Kane himself.

The match kicks off this Friday, September 18 at the Allianz Arena, at 3:30 PM (ARG/URU/CHI) and 1:30 PM (COL/PER/ECU), streaming live via Disney+'s Premium Plan for South America.