Bayern Munich Star Diaz Handed Three-Match Ban

Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz has received a three-match ban for serious rough play after he was sent off in their 2-1 Champions League victory over holders Paris St. Germain earlier this month, European soccer body UEFA said on Friday.

Diaz scored both goals in Paris but was sent off for a violent tackle on PSG’s Achraf Hakimi on the stroke of halftime.

PSG confirmed a day later that Hakimi had severely sprained his left ankle, and the Moroccan full-back has not played for the Ligue 1 club since.

Hakimi picked up the African Footballer of the Year award on Wednesday by limping onto the stage while using a scooter to move around.

Bayern boss Vincent Kompany expected Diaz to miss only the trip to Arsenal on Wednesday, but the Colombian winger will also sit out home games against Sporting on December 9 and Union Saint-Gilloise on January 21.

“My information is that he’s suspended for one game… I would be disappointed if my information were not correct,” Kompany told reporters earlier on Friday.

Bayern sit top of the Champions League standings with 12 points from four games, one of three teams with a perfect record, along with their next opponents, Arsenal and Inter Milan.

Diaz has scored three goals in four Champions League games for Bayern this season after joining from Liverpool in the summer, while he has netted six times in 10 Bundesliga matches.

He will miss the trip to Arsenal on 26 November as well as home matches against Sporting and Union Saint-Gilloise on 9 December and 21 January, respectively.