Luis Díaz, Bayern Munich's 'chaotic' winger who has taken the Bundesliga by storm
Already boasting Harry Kane and Michael Olise in attack, Bayern Munich added Luis Díaz in the summer. The Colombia international has taken no time to settle in on the left flank, adding an extra dimension to the record champions’ offensive play.
In the summer, both Mathys Tel and Kingsley Coman departed the Allianz Arena on a permanent basis, leaving head coach Vincent Kompany with a hole to fill on the left of his front three. Ultimately, Florian Wirtz’s transfer had a big impact on Bayern’s next move; the Bavarians missed out on Wirtz to Liverpool, leaving both clubs with an extra incentive to secure a switch for Díaz.
It is fair to say, approaching the halfway point of the season, that Bayern have come out on top. The 28-year-old made an immediate impact, scoring Bayern’s second goal in a 2-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, and has not looked back since.
Watch: Luis Díaz lights up Supercup
In 13 Bundesliga matches, Díaz already has seven goals to his name. Only four players, including the seemingly unstoppable Kane, have more. Add in his six assists, only surpassed by another teammate, Olise, and Díaz has 13 goal contributions – the third-highest total in the division.
Remarkably, there is still room for improvement in the goalscoring department. Despite his impressive tally, he has also missed five of his eight big chances in the Bundesliga this term, with only Serhou Guirassy (six) doing so on more occasions. Even scoring just two of those wasted opportunities would see Díaz move into outright second in the scoring charts.
His tangible output only tells half of the story. His availability is, in itself, a quality. He has missed just three games in all competitions, two of which have come due to suspension (perhaps his only weakness since his arrival). For context, Coman managed 28 Bundesliga games last season – only the second time in his Bayern career that he went past the 25-game mark.
How Bayern have performed with Díaz is worth considering, too. Of his 20 appearances, the record champions have won 19 and drawn one. That one blemish was a 2-2 draw away at Union Berlin, a game in which Díaz scored the eventual November Goal of the Month.
That was one of three competitive matches in which the Bavarians have failed to prevail this term, with Díaz absent for the Matchday 14 Bundesliga draw with Mainz and the UEFA Champions League defeat to Arsenal.
Additionally, Díaz has proven adept in duels, winning 47% of those he has contested in the Bundesliga – a respectable figure for an attacker – while his 85% pass completion rate is also a solid return.
Watch: Díaz wins November Goal of the Month
With Olise also in top form, it's arguably the closest Bayern have come to replicating the dual inverted wing threat of the legendary Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry since they left in 2019.
Díaz, in particular, is a ball of energy who always seems to be involved regardless of whether he finds the back of the net, as Kompany alluded to following Bayern’s win against St. Pauli in November – which came following Díaz’s 93rd-minute winner. ”Lucho has got a kind of ‘chaotic creativity’,” he explained.
“He can always do something in chaos. As a defender, I always found it uncomfortable to play against such players because you never know whether you have the ball under control or he has it. He kept his head up while on the ground and played a great pass. He did the exact same move in training yesterday. That’s a quality of his.”
Díaz’s influence is also summarised by the predicament facing his former side Liverpool this term. He scored 13 goals in 36 English Premier League fixtures last season as the Reds romped to the title. Without him in 2025/26, they sit seventh and 10 points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
Watch: Bayern Munich 3-1 St. Pauli - highlights
Bayern’s new recruit has allowed the team to reach new heights this term, and there is a feeling they could achieve something very special this campaign. Should he carry on in the same vein, Díaz’s contribution could be decisive by the time the trophies are awarded.
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