Luis Díaz skips Colombia call-up for extra Bayern training ahead of Augsburg clash

While half of Europe is still waiting for its stars to return from the FIFA date, in Munich the focus has already shifted to the next opponent. Bayern resumed training this week with eyes on Augsburg, currently fourth in the Bundesliga, in a matchup that arrives at a curious moment for one of the club's most talked about signings: Luis Díaz.

The Colombian did not travel with his national team during this break and instead stayed in Bavaria to train. It was not a unilateral call by the club: there was an agreement with Colombia's coach, Néstor Lorenzo, for Díaz to use these days to finish getting into physical shape. His start to the season with Bayern has not been what everyone pictured, and this extra work is meant to turn things around as soon as possible.

What explains all this attention? Just one goal in four games. For a player of his caliber, brought in to unbalance defenses up front, that number falls short and is already raising questions about his finishing in front of goal. Still, nobody inside the club is talking about a crisis: he has backing from both the front office and the locker room, who trust the goals will come once he finds his competitive rhythm.

A schedule with no room to breathe

The calendar is not going to give anyone in Munich a break. After hosting Augsburg, Bayern will have to dive straight into the Champions League league phase and, almost simultaneously, play the second round of the German Cup. In other words: few weeks to absorb the workload, and plenty of opportunity for Díaz, if he regains his rhythm, to earn important minutes.

In the standings, the Munich side sits in second place with 10 points, just two behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund. Nothing alarming, but not a gap to get comfortable with either, especially on the road against a team currently among the top four.

The matchday five fixture is set for Saturday, October 10, at 8:30 a.m. Colombia time. It's an unusual kickoff time for European soccer, but it makes for a must watch early morning game for anyone wanting to see whether Luis Díaz, with a clear head after this extra work, is starting to show the form Bayern expects from him.