Luis Díaz‘s Champions League Suspension Shortened After Prosperous Appeal
NYON, Switzerland – In a swift turn of events, Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz will serve a two-game suspension in the Champions League, down from an initial three-game ban, after successfully appealing a decision stemming from a reckless foul on Paris Saint-germain’s Achraf Hakimi.
UEFA announced Friday that Díaz’s appeal against the charge of “serious foul play” was upheld. The association did not disclose the specific reasoning behind the reduction in the sanction.
The revised ban means the Colombian international will miss Bayern’s upcoming Champions League fixture against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. However,he will be eligible to return for their match against union Saint-Gilloise next month.
The incident occurred during Bayern’s 2-1 victory over PSG last month. Díaz had previously scored two goals in the match before being sent off for a challenge from behind on Hakimi, resulting in a heavy fall and impact to the PSG player’s left ankle.
This marks a departure from the standard one-match ban typically issued for a red card, a precedent previously seen with Cristiano Ronaldo.Last month, FIFA handed Ronaldo a three-match ban, but suspended two of those matches for a probationary period, related to a serious foul play incident during a World Cup qualifier against Ireland. This decision effectively minimizes the impact on his availability for the start of his record sixth World Cup appearance next year.
The reduction in Díaz’s ban provides a boost to Bayern Munich as they continue their Champions League campaign.