The pub regulars will have to brace themselves! Luis Diaz and Bayern Munich prove that holidays help
Luis Diaz had been dogged by bad luck for weeks. Now he has scored three goals from an xG of 0.61 in the 6-1 win over RB Leipzig. How did that happen? Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has a theory.
For all the fireworks Luis Diaz produced earlier that rainy autumn evening at the Allianz Arena, the aftermath was low-key. One of the last players to leave the dressing-room area after Bayern Munich's 6-1 win over RB Leipzig on Bundesliga matchday 6, Diaz had his hood pulled low over his face and wore an expression he might have picked up from Mr Nonchalant Michael Olise. He did have the match ball, signed by his team-mates, in his hand. Just before leaving the stadium, he gave a quick thumbs-up.
His celebrations had been anything but subdued. Diaz greeted his three goals and those scored by his team-mates with an exuberance that showed how much the performance meant to him.
This was not Diaz's first Bayern hat-trick: he had scored three in a 5-1 win over TSG Hoffenheim in February. Nor was it his first goal since he fell into this scoring slump in August. He had scored in Tuesday's 3-3 Champions League draw away to Viking Stavanger.
This time Bayern Munich did not have to chase an early deficit
Yet something seemed to click after his first goal against Leipzig. Perhaps it was his exuberant celebration, or perhaps it was because Bayern did not have to chase an early deficit this time. Instead, they took the lead in the 12th minute. Diaz could have scored in the first minute, but after a swift attack involving Harry Kane and Michael Olise, he took too long and lost his good shooting position.
That was the only time all evening he resembled the forlorn striker of recent weeks. From promising positions, he had tried to do too much, or found the net only for his goals to be disallowed for offside, rightly or wrongly. He had scored once from an xG of 3.1 in the first four Bundesliga matches. Last week in Augsburg, three of his goals had been disallowed for offside.
Diaz made it 1-0, then set up Aleksandar Pavlovic's goal for 2-0. He scored the goals that made it 4-0 and 6-0, and started the move for the goal that made it 5-0. His three goals came from an xG of just 0.61.
Three goals ended Diaz's scoring slump. Bayern Munich's emerging results crisis, after two consecutive draws, was over too.
Why RB Leipzig were the ideal opponents for Bayern to regain their form against
Leipzig helped by not forcing Bayern to chase an early deficit. The visitors were "still an absolute top German team", as sporting director Max Eberl said, but they had conceded plenty of goals in each of their recent matches. Their latest Bundesliga results had been 1-5, 0-6, 3-3 and 1-5. Now came 1-6.
With a win, Germany's probable number 3 would even have overtaken Bayern in the table. Instead, they gave the slightly faltering record champions and their previously frustrated forward the chance to regain their form.
What does Max Eber say about Luis Diaz?
Eberl had a theory about the Colombian's sudden burst of goals, though it will not please the pub pundits, Chancellor Friedrich Merz or anyone who believes we all, footballers in particular, do too little work and have too much free time. "The break did Lucho good; the two weeks' rest helped," he said in the mixed zone and later at the press conference, where he stood in for the injured coach Vincent Kompany.
Bayern and the Colombian federation had granted Diaz, who plays so often, two weeks of special leave after the last home Bundesliga match before the international break. "Lucho played an enormous amount last season, then there was the World Cup as well. Expectations were huge afterwards, but not everything had clicked yet. The rest helped; he is fresher, he is ready," Eberl said.
Nor was this the first time Kompany and Bayern had granted Diaz special leave. Back in December, Kompany sent the forward on holiday for a few days while he was suspended in the Champions League because of a red card. Full-back Alphonso Davies was also allowed to make up for his missed honeymoon during the most recent international break.
The pub pundits may not like it, but holidays help. Even in the middle of the season.
