Luis Díaz has impressively broken out of his personal scoring slump. In FC Bayern’s 6-1 rout of RB Leipzig, the Colombian scored three goals and emerged as the standout player of the night. Yet the 29-year-old had repeatedly struggled with his finishing in recent weeks. After the game, sporting director Max Eberl offered a surprisingly simple explanation for the winger’s sudden surge in performance.
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed as though Díaz’s finishing touch had completely deserted him. In his first four Bundesliga matches, the attacking star had scored just one goal despite an expected goals (xG) value of 3.1.
Against Leipzig, it was a completely different story. From an xG of just 0.61, Díaz scored three goals. He also added an assist on Aleksandar Pavlovic’s goal that made it 2-0.
Eberl explains: Special leave helped Díaz
After the game, Eberl was asked about the Colombian’s sudden improvement in performance. The Bayern boss pointed primarily to a measure taken during the recent international break.
“The break did Lucho good; the two weeks of rest were helpful,” Eberl explained in the mixed zone.
The Munich club had granted Díaz a two-week special leave in consultation with the Colombian Football Federation.
This was due to the enormous workload the attacking player had faced in recent months.
“Lucho played an enormous amount last season, and then came the World Cup. Expectations were sky-high afterward, but things weren’t quite clicking yet. The rest was helpful; he’s fresher, and he’s ready,” Eberl emphasized.
For the sporting director, this renewed freshness is a decisive factor in the team’s recent resurgence.
Díaz returns just in time for the match against Arsenal
It’s not a new strategy for Bayern to focus on targeted rest for their star forward.
As early as last December, coach Vincent Kompany had granted the Colombian a few days off when he was suspended due to a red card in the Champions League.
Other players have also recently benefited from extra time off. Alphonso Davies, for example, was able to take his honeymoon during the most recent international break.
For Díaz, the move now appears to have paid off in full.
The winger had already scored in the 3-3 draw against Viking Stavanger. Against Leipzig, his hat trick marked his definitive breakthrough.
Particularly noteworthy: The Colombian needed significantly fewer clear scoring chances to do so than in recent weeks.
For FC Bayern, the return to their former scoring form comes at exactly the right time. Arsenal awaits in the Champions League on Wednesday.
With Michael Olise out due to suspension, Díaz is likely to be called upon even more in Munich’s attack. In any case, after his stellar performance against Leipzig, the 29-year-old heads into the next big match brimming with confidence.