Luis Díaz set for another meeting with Leipzig in Bayern's Telekom Cup friendly

Whenever Luis Díaz runs into Leipzig, something good tends to happen. And that's not just a quirky stat anymore, it's starting to look like a habit. This Saturday, August 15, the Colombian will get another shot at the team that suits him so well, this time in a preseason friendly that will decide the Telekom Cup at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern arrives fresh off a successful Asia tour, where the club played two friendlies and where Díaz was, without exaggeration, one of the biggest draws. The Colombian joined the squad as soon as his post World Cup break ended, arriving just in time to travel with the team. Out in Asia, fans couldn't get enough of him, lining up for photos and autographs, something that's becoming the norm for the winger from La Guajira.

In those matches against Jeju and Aston Villa, Díaz didn't just make up the numbers: he scored a brilliant goal against the English side, his first of the season, making it clear he arrived in good rhythm. Back in Germany, he trained normally with the rest of the squad, and everything points to him starting on Saturday.

Bayern, however, still won't have several key pieces available. Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Upamecano remain on their breaks following their respective mid-year commitments, while Karl and Gnabry are still carrying injuries from last season and aren't at full fitness yet. Given that, it wouldn't be surprising to see Díaz lining up alongside some of the young players who stood out during preseason, in what would be a fairly refreshed attack.

A history that raises hopes

Díaz's numbers against Leipzig already speak for themselves. Their first meeting came on matchday 1 of last Bundesliga season, a game that finished 6-1 in Bayern's favor and served as a dream debut for the Colombian: that night he scored a goal and added two assists at the Allianz Arena. In the return leg, this time at Leipzig, he again saw minutes, though he wasn't quite as involved in the 5-1 final result.

Then came a meeting with higher stakes: the German Cup semifinals, where Kompany's side won 2-0 with another goal from Díaz, one that proved decisive in sending Bayern through to the final. Three meetings, and in all three the Colombian left his mark in some way.

So even though it's only a preseason friendly, there's a bit of extra buzz around this one. Kickoff is set for 8:30 a.m. (Colombia time) at the Allianz Arena, and while no points are on the line, it serves as a useful gauge before the official season gets underway. With Kane and company still out, Díaz will get another chance to show himself as the attacking reference point for a Bayern side that's still fine tuning things ahead of what's to come.