Luis Díaz and Michael Olise: Have Bayern Munich got their new Robbery?
For almost a decade, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry tore rampant through Bundesliga defences as the pair, nicknamed ‘Robbery’ defined a generation of unprecedented success. Now, almost seven years since their departures, Bayern Munich’s latest attacking duo of Luis Díaz and Michael Olise is drawing comparisons to their predecessors.
With their fearless dribbling, explosive pace, superb eye for a pass and a keen nose for goal, Díaz and Olise's style of play is eerily similar to that of Bayern’s former greats.
Laying claim to 18 goals and 17 assists in Germany’s top flight this season, Olise and Díaz have, alongside Harry Kane’s 20 goals, been instrumental in widening Bayern’s 11-point gap to closest challenges Borussia Dortmund atop of the Bundesliga, as Vincent Kompany’s men plundered 63 goals after 16 matchdays - surpassing the previous record of 56 goals at the halfway stage.
As such, France’s Olise and Colombia’s Díaz are staking a claim as the best wing duo in the world right now with their dazzling performances, creativity, calmness under pressure and their clinicalness in front of goal.
Kompany’s wing duo starred as Bayern brushed aside Wolfsburg in emphatic fashion on Matchday 16. After setting up Díaz for Bayern’s second of the game on the half-hour mark, Olise made it 3-1 with a magnificent solo effort before netting his second, created by Díaz, as Germany’s record champions inflicted an 8-1 defeat on their opponents.
Developing a telepathic understanding, Díaz and Olise’s performances have naturally drawn parallels to Ribéry and Robben. “When I see Michael's position and moves, he resembles Arjen Robben,” said board member for sport Max Eberl after the game.
“We were just talking about it in the dressing room. He's kind of like the new Robben we have - delicate, elegant. And with Lucho on the other side, we have the Franck Ribéry type, the creative chaos maker. Our wing duo is exceptional.”
Watch: Olise and Díaz star in victory over Wolfsburg - highlights
Seven years after the departure of Ribéry and Robben in 2019, it’s difficult not to get excited about Bayern’s latest attacking duo as Olise and Díaz continue to bamboozle defences, hitting newfound dizzying heights.
A constant menace down the right flank with his direct running and quick feet, Olise has, so often, cut inside before unleashing a curling effort, like that of Robben, who struck 99 league goals for Bayern. Continuing to take the Bundesliga by storm, Bayern’s No. 17, has not taken his foot off the gas.
Just as he did last season, the France international continues to set the benchmark in Germany’s top flight, returning nine assists as we approach the halfway point of the 2025/26 season. At his current rate, the Frenchman is on his way to surpass last season’s tally (15), and could well break Thomas Müller's all time assist record in a single season (21).
Watch: Unplayable Olise doing Robben things
Opening his account for the season with a brace in a scintilating 6-0 defeat of RB Leipzig on Matchday 1, Olise has proved indispensable to Bayern boss Kompany, no more so than in victories over Dortmund and Freiburg.
Doubling his team’s lead against BVB in October then, on Matchday 11, being involved in five of Bayern’s six goals, Olise continues to elevate his game. His efforts against Wolfsburg moved him on to nine goals and as many assists this season, leaving him on course to beat his tallies from last campaign (12 goals and 15 assists).
Watch: Every Olise goal and assist
On the opposite flank, Díaz has quickly settled into life in Bavaria since his switch from Liverpool. Replacing Kingsley Coman and Mathys Tel, the 28-year-old adds an extra dimension to the record champions’ offensive play.
Striking five goals in his first six Bundesliga outings, Bayern’s Colombian superstar hit the ground running. With 17 goal involvements (nine goals and eight assists) in 15 league games, the "chaotic" winger netted crucial goals against Eintracht Frankfurt, St. Pauli and Wolfsburg to fire Kompany’s table-toppers into the lead.
“Lucho has got a kind of ‘chaotic creativity',” explained the Belgian. “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.”
Watch: Retrace Díaz's roots
Given the four-year age gap, it’s extremely unlikely that Díaz and Olise can replicate Robbery’s output over their decade together where they claimed seven Bundesliga titles, four DFB Cups and one UEFA Champions League trophy, but their developing partnership is one that excites Bayern supporters.
Players have come and gone, but the Díaz-Olise combination is the closest that Bayern have come to replicating the dual inverted wing threat of the legendary Robben and Ribéry.
As Bayern enjoy a so far unbeaten Bundesliga campaign, the 2025/26 season could be a special one as their latest wing duo continue to set an unprecedented standard.
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