'We thanked him!' - Bayern Munich star jokes about reaction to Luis Diaz red card for injuring Achraf Hakimi in win against PSG
Bayern Munich’s 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain was overshadowed by drama as Luis Diaz was sent off for a reckless tackle that left Achraf Hakimi injured. While coach Vincent Kompany and others showed concern, defender Josip Stanisic later joked about the red card, claiming they 'thanked' the Colombian winger for the tackle.The Bundesliga giants were cruising after taking a 2-0 lead thanks to Diaz’s first-half brace, but chaos erupted just before half-time. The Colombian winger went in for a late tackle on Hakimi, catching the Moroccan full-back on the ankle after losing possession. The PSG defender went down in visible pain and was seen in tears before being helped off the pitch by physios. Referee Maurizio Mariani initially showed a yellow card, but it was upgraded to a red following VAR's intervention.However, even with the extra man, PSG couldn’t break through Bayern’s organised defence. Joao Neves added a late goal for the defending champions, but it wasn’t enough as Bayern held on to claim a hard-fought win.After the match, Bayern defender Stanisic said Diaz needs to be more careful in such situations. "He knows himself that he needs to handle this kind of situation with more finesse,” the 25-year-old told reporters. When asked if the ex-Liverpool winger had apologised for leaving the team short-handed, he joked: "No, we thanked him. I’m kidding! He was happy, like all of us."While Stanisic's comment was meant in a light-hearted manner, it did not sit well on social media, with many criticising it as being in poor taste and disrespectful, considering the severity of the Moroccan's injury. The PSG full-back was seen walking on crutches after the game, and reports from L’Equipe claim he is expected to be out until mid-December, potentially missing the start of the 2025 AFCON.Meanwhile, Bayern boss Kompany addressed the seriousness of Hakimi's injury, recalling a similar setback Jamal Musiala suffered against PSG in the Club World Cup. Speaking to Sky Austria, the Belgian manager said: “It’s a shame that the PSG player had to come off injured. At first, I didn’t think it was that dangerous. But of course, it happened, and when a player gets injured, I always think of what happened to Jamal [Musiala]. He broke his leg against PSG in the USA. Then you think: ‘Is that comparable?’ But I have to be honest: the most important thing for me is that Hakimi isn’t injured for too long. I wish him a speedy recovery.”Following his red card, Diaz will serve at least a one-game suspension and will miss Bayern’s upcoming Champions League match against Arsenal. However, UEFA could increase the sanction to three matches, ruling him out of the games against Sporting CP and Union Saint-Gilloise. He would then return in time for the final league phase clash against PSV. The Columbian's absence will be a major test for Bayern, who are unbeaten this season and riding a 16-game winning streak under Kompany. They face Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who have also been in tremendous form, extending their winning run to 10 games following a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague on Tuesday. The Colombian winger, since his arrival from England, has contributed 14 goals and assists in 16 games this season. He could have been crucial against a team that has not conceded in eight consecutive games across all competitions.While Diaz will be unavailable for Bayern’s next three Champions League fixtures, he will be key for their domestic matches as they look to extend their winning streak. The defending Bundesliga champions are five points clear of RB Leipzig with nine wins from nine games and will visit Union Berlin on Saturday before the international break. They will then face Freiburg on November 22 in the Bundesliga before returning to European competition for the clash against the Gunners.
Bayern Munich’s 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain was overshadowed by drama as Luis Diaz was sent off for a reckless tackle that left Achraf Hakimi injured. While coach Vincent Kompany and others showed concern, defender Josip Stanisic later joked about the red card, claiming they 'thanked' the Colombian winger for the tackle.The Bundesliga giants were cruising after taking a 2-0 lead thanks to Diaz’s first-half brace, but chaos erupted just before half-time. The Colombian winger went in for a late tackle on Hakimi, catching the Moroccan full-back on the ankle after losing possession. The PSG defender went down in visible pain and was seen in tears before being helped off the pitch by physios. Referee Maurizio Mariani initially showed a yellow card, but it was upgraded to a red following VAR's intervention.However, even with the extra man, PSG couldn’t break through Bayern’s organised defence. Joao Neves added a late goal for the defending champions, but it wasn’t enough as Bayern held on to claim a hard-fought win.After the match, Bayern defender Stanisic said Diaz needs to be more careful in such situations. "He knows himself that he needs to handle this kind of situation with more finesse,” the 25-year-old told reporters. When asked if the ex-Liverpool winger had apologised for leaving the team short-handed, he joked: "No, we thanked him. I’m kidding! He was happy, like all of us."While Stanisic's comment was meant in a light-hearted manner, it did not sit well on social media, with many criticising it as being in poor taste and disrespectful, considering the severity of the Moroccan's injury. The PSG full-back was seen walking on crutches after the game, and reports from L’Equipe claim he is expected to be out until mid-December, potentially missing the start of the 2025 AFCON.Meanwhile, Bayern boss Kompany addressed the seriousness of Hakimi's injury, recalling a similar setback Jamal Musiala suffered against PSG in the Club World Cup. Speaking to Sky Austria, the Belgian manager said: “It’s a shame that the PSG player had to come off injured. At first, I didn’t think it was that dangerous. But of course, it happened, and when a player gets injured, I always think of what happened to Jamal [Musiala]. He broke his leg against PSG in the USA. Then you think: ‘Is that comparable?’ But I have to be honest: the most important thing for me is that Hakimi isn’t injured for too long. I wish him a speedy recovery.”Following his red card, Diaz will serve at least a one-game suspension and will miss Bayern’s upcoming Champions League match against Arsenal. However, UEFA could increase the sanction to three matches, ruling him out of the games against Sporting CP and Union Saint-Gilloise. He would then return in time for the final league phase clash against PSV. The Columbian's absence will be a major test for Bayern, who are unbeaten this season and riding a 16-game winning streak under Kompany. They face Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who have also been in tremendous form, extending their winning run to 10 games following a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague on Tuesday. The Colombian winger, since his arrival from England, has contributed 14 goals and assists in 16 games this season. He could have been crucial against a team that has not conceded in eight consecutive games across all competitions.While Diaz will be unavailable for Bayern’s next three Champions League fixtures, he will be key for their domestic matches as they look to extend their winning streak. The defending Bundesliga champions are five points clear of RB Leipzig with nine wins from nine games and will visit Union Berlin on Saturday before the international break. They will then face Freiburg on November 22 in the Bundesliga before returning to European competition for the clash against the Gunners.
