Bayern Munich's appeal against Luis Diaz red card shut down despite referee admitting ex-Liverpool star shouldn't have been sent off for diving

Diaz will serve a suspension after seeing red during Bayern Munich's tense 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. The Colombian, who had earlier scored his side's only goal, was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card for an alleged dive in the penalty area. However, post-match footage quickly revealed contact between Diaz and Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich. Referee Christian Dingert, after reviewing replays during an interview with Sky Sport, conceded his error: "The second yellow card is very harsh and when I see the images now, I wouldn't give it that way any more."

Bayern moved quickly to appeal the automatic one-game ban, hoping Dingert's public admission would see the sanction quashed. However, the German Football Association (DFB) sports court ruled on Monday that the suspension must remain in place. The court decided the official's post-match comments were not enough to override the decision of fact made on the pitch during the Bundesliga clash. Explaining the refusal, court chairman Stephan Oberholz noted the incident did not meet the high threshold required for a retroactive change, arguing it was not a completely wrong call because Diaz had been seeking contact with the opposition goalkeeper.

The DFB provided a detailed justification for their stance, emphasising that match officials' decisions are generally final unless they are objectively and undeniably incorrect. Oberholz was firm in his statement regarding the criteria for a successful appeal, confirming the referee's change of heart was essentially irrelevant to the legal process. In his official ruling, he stated: "The decisive factor is that the incident constitutes a decision of fact which can only be corrected if it is gravely, clearly and without any doubt objectively incorrect. That is not the case here." Consequently, Diaz will miss the upcoming fixture against Union Berlin.

The loss of Diaz adds to a growing list of concerns for manager Vincent Kompany as the club navigates a busy schedule. Bayern are already sweating over the fitness of several key players following a bruising Champions League encounter with Atalanta last week, where they secured a 6-1 victory. Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala missed the Leverkusen draw due to injuries sustained in the European clash.