Connect with us

Sports

Bayern Munich sign Liverpool’s Luis Díaz in €75m deal

Published

on

Bayern Munich, on Wednesday, completed the signing of forward, Luis Diaz, from Premier League champions, Liverpool, for a reported fee that could rise to 75 million euros ($86.5 million).

The Colombian winger, who won the Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups during his time at Anfield, has signed a contract with the Bundesliga champions until 2029.

The fee paid for Diaz is the third-highest in Bayern’s history.

“In Luis Diaz, we have succeeded in bringing in one of the best left-wingers in the Premier League,” said Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.

“He brings real player character from Liverpool to FC Bayern — he’s won silverware with every one of his clubs to date.”

Diaz, 28, said he was “very happy” with the move to the German club.

“It means a lot to me to be part of FC Bayern,” he said.  “They’re one of the biggest clubs in the world. I want to help my new team with my way of playing football and my character.

“My goal is to win every possible title, and that’s what we’ll work for every day as a team.”

Writing on social media, Diaz said he would “treasure forever” his time at Liverpool and was “leaving proud of everything we achieved together.”

Diaz made 50 appearances and scored 17 goals and laid on eight assists in all competitions last season as Arne Slot’s team clinched the English title for the 20th time.

The Colombian, who joined from Porto in January 2022, scored 13 of those 17 goals in the Premier League, finishing as Liverpool’s second-leading goalscorer behind Mohamed Salah.

See also  UEFA Cancels 2026 Finalissima Between Spain, Argentina

Diaz was left out of Liverpool’s 4-2 friendly defeat against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday as speculation mounted over his future.

Diaz’s signing gives Bayern a quality replacement for Germany forward Jamal Musiala, who has been ruled out for a “long period” after he suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle at the recent Club World Cup.

Having made his international debut in 2018, Diaz has scored 18 goals in 64 appearances for Colombia.

Bayern needed strengthening in the forward line after veteran Thomas Mueller left the club and Leroy Sane moved to Galatasaray.

Diaz’s transfer fee trails in club history only the 95 million euros Bayern paid for England icon Harry Kane in 2023 and the 80 million for French international Lucas Hernandez in 2019.

Diaz will train with his new teammates and coach Vincent Kompany for the first time in Munich on Wednesday.

The winger could take the field when Bayern face French side Lyon in a friendly in Munich on Saturday.

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

CAF under pressure as Guinea contests Morocco’s 1976 AFCON win

Published

on

Guinea Football Federation has called on the Confederation of African Football to review the outcome of the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, citing what it describes as inconsistencies following a recent ruling involving Senegal.

The appeal comes after CAF stripped Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title over a walkout incident and awarded victory to hosts Morocco, despite Senegal having won on the pitch.

Guinea’s football authorities argue that similar disciplinary standards should be applied retroactively, pointing to a key moment during the 1976 tournament, which was decided through a four-team round-robin format.

In the decisive match between Morocco and Guinea, the latter took the lead in the 33rd minute through Chérif Souleymane. Moroccan players briefly left the pitch in protest over a refereeing decision before returning to continue the game. Ahmed Makrouh later equalised in the 86th minute, securing a 1-1 draw that allowed Morocco to win the title with five points, while Guinea finished second.

Guinea has now urged CAF to reassess that result under the same principles applied in the 2025 ruling. “Give us back our 1976 AFCON trophy,” the federation said, adding that sanctions should apply in cases where teams walk off the pitch during matches.

The recent CAF decision to award Morocco a 3-0 victory over Senegal has reignited debate over historical officiating and disciplinary standards, with Guinea arguing that consistency should extend to past tournaments.

However, sports legal analysts have noted that regulations such as Article 84, cited in the Senegal case, were not in force in 1976 and are rarely applied retroactively. CAF has yet to respond to the request, with observers suggesting the appeal could test the organisation’s willingness to revisit historical decisions.

See also  EPL: Ayden Heaven urges Man Utd to maintain European faith

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

Continue Reading

Sports

UCL: Bayern may start 16-year-old goalkeeper against Atalanta – Kompany

Published

on

Bayern Munich could field 16-year-old goalkeeper Prescott in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against Atalanta, Head Coach Vincent Kompany confirmed, following a string of injuries to the club’s senior goalkeepers.

Regular starter  Manuel Neuer is still recovering from a muscle tear, while third-choice keeper Sven Ulreich suffered an adductor injury during Bayern’s 1-1 Bundesliga draw against Bayer Leverkusen.

Second-choice keeper Jonas Urbig is recovering from a concussion sustained in last week’s 6-1 win in Italy.

As reported by BBC Sport, Kompany said on Tuesday, “Jonas trained normally today. The decision tomorrow will be a medical one. If everything goes well, then Urbig will be in goal. If not, then we will have to find another solution.”

That solution could be Prescott, a German youth international who plays for Bayern’s under-19 team. As a minor, he will require clearance from German labor authorities to play in an evening match.

Kompany praised the young keeper’s composure, adding, “He is very calm. Overall, we as a staff are also calm. If he plays tomorrow he will have our full backing. Everyone will help. There will never be a young player who will be forced to play a main role. We have full confidence in him, whatever happens tomorrow.”

Neuer, 37, has appeared in 19 Bundesliga matches this season, while Urbig, 22, has eight league appearances, and Ulreich, 37, has featured once. Another teenage keeper, Leon Klanac, 19, is also sidelined with a thigh injury.

Bayern, defending Bundesliga champions and current league leaders, will face either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the UCL quarter-finals if they defeat Atalanta, making the goalkeeping situation a critical issue ahead of the high-stakes match.

See also  UEFA Cancels 2026 Finalissima Between Spain, Argentina

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

Continue Reading

Sports

World cup play-off: NFF loses DR Congo petition, appeals FIFA verdict

Published

on

The Nigeria Football Federation said it has commenced the process of appealing the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which rejected its petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo on the issue of eligibility of some players used by that country in a 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off match against Nigeria in Rabat, Morocco, last November.

Nigeria lost the match 4-3 on penalties, but the NFF protested the eligibility of some players in the DR Congo squad, citing perceived fraud in the issuance of passports that qualified a number of players of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the play-off.

After months of waiting, the NFF confirmed that it had received FIFA’s verdict but has launched an appeal.

“We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition.

“I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision,” said NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, in a statement on Tuesday.

DR Congo have been drawn to face the winner of the clash between the Jamaica national football team and New Caledonia national football team, with a place at the 2026 tournament at stake.

The Congolese are heading to Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico, where they will join five other countries vying for the final two places at the expanded World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Continue Reading

Trending