Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz has had his three-game UEFA Champions League ban reduced to two following an appeal over a reckless foul on Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi. The decision means Díaz will miss Bayern's home match against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday but can return for the game against Union Saint-Gilloise next month. Díaz had scored twice in Bayern's 2-1 victory over PSG before being sent off last month.
UEFA announced on Friday that Díaz's appeal on the charge of serious rough play was upheld, though the governing body did not specify the reasons for the reduction. The Colombian winger received a direct red card for a wild lunge from behind on Hakimi during Bayern Munich's eventful 2-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League league phase last month. Hakimi's left leg appeared to be momentarily trapped before he fell, leading to the initial three-game suspension.
The ban originally would have sidelined Díaz until Bayern's seventh league phase match, a home game against Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise. With the reduction, he will only miss the upcoming home fixture against Sporting Lisbon (also referred to as Sporting CP in some reports) this Tuesday. This outcome represents a partial success for Bayern, as direct red cards typically result in at least a two-game ban.
Díaz's performance in the PSG match was notable, as he contributed two goals before his dismissal. The sanction exceeds the mandatory one-game minimum for a red card. For comparison, FIFA recently issued Cristiano Ronaldo a three-game ban with two suspended over a separate incident, allowing him to avoid missing games at the start of his sixth World Cup in 2026.
Bayern Munich will look to manage without Díaz for one more key European fixture as they navigate the Champions League league phase.
