Bayern Wins a Lighter Ban for Diaz as UEFA Cuts Suspension to Two Games
6 December 2025
What happened in the case
Bayern Munich successfully appealed the stringent suspension handed to their Colombian winger Luis Diaz in the UEFA Champions League.
Diaz had received a direct red card during the 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain on November 4, following a hard challenge on Moroccan left-back Achraf Hakimi, despite his notable display by scoring both goals for Bayern in that clash.
Ruling and implications
UEFA reduced the ban from three matches to two after reviewing Bayern's appeal.
Under the new ruling, the 28-year-old will miss only one remaining match, the home game against Sporting CP on Tuesday, before returning for the next match against Union Saint-Gilloise on January 21.
Bayern's sporting director Max Eberl had expressed skepticism about any reduction, saying he was not naive to expect only one match. If the punishment could be cut to one game, that would be great. In the end, the appeal yielded a positive result for the club.
Final punchline 1: If suspensions were decided by counterattacks, Diaz would be free to score again before winter ends.
Final punchline 2: Bayern celebrate with a reduced ban, a hopeful calendar, and enough drama to snack on while the fans wait for January’s German firework show.
