Bayern Munich have opted for a special approach to Luis Diaz's dip in form. The Colombian came through the emphatic 7-0 win over Union Berlin without leaving his goalscoring mark, at a time when almost all of his teammates in the attacking line shone.
While the Bavarian side's dressing room buzzed with celebrations, Diaz found himself away from the scene, waiting to recover the goalscoring instinct that has deserted him in recent matches.
Seven goals against Union Berlin sparked a celebratory atmosphere inside the dressing room, a match packed with happy moments.
Harry Kane, the last of the players to leave the dressing room, said the coach asked the players to say a few words in celebration of the victory. Michael Olise scored his first hat-trick with the team, Ismael Saibari netted his first goal in a Bayern shirt, and Kane celebrated reaching his 100th goal, alongside the return of Serge Gnabry after recovering from injury.
Amid all these celebrations, Luis Diaz was almost the only exception. His goalscoring absence continued.
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Diaz searches for a way out
Diaz's last goal for Bayern dates back to the opening round of the German league against Stuttgart, when he scored his fifth goal in the match. Since then he has failed to score.
The player's struggles did not stop at the absence of goals. He squandered several dangerous chances against Schalke, Osnabruck and Bodo/Glimt, and he also caused controversy during the Elversberg encounter after failing to make the most of a perfect pass from Michael Olise inside the penalty area as required.
Against Union Berlin, Diaz scored a goal that was ruled out for offside, even though the move came after a superb Bayern attack, continuing his struggles in front of goal, according to the "SPOX" network.
Diaz had earlier confirmed that he trusts in his return to scoring, saying that he only needs mental calm and to work on taking his chances, stressing that what he currently lacks is the final touch.
The numbers from recent matches reveal part of the problem. Diaz squandered six clear-cut chances in the German league, while his expected goals figure reached 3.1 goals during the first four rounds.
By contrast, Harry Kane scored three goals from an expected goals figure of 2.17, while Michael Olise netted four goals from an expected goals figure of 2.65.
As for Ismael Saibari, who came on as a substitute for Diaz against Union Berlin, he scored a goal and provided three assists in just 178 minutes in the German league.
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Will Bayern repeat the old recipe?
Bayern Munich chose to handle Diaz by giving him a rest period during the international break. Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo decided not to call him up, following consultation with the player.
Max Eberl, Bayern's sporting director, welcomed this decision. He confirmed that Diaz has played a large number of matches recently, and that a short rest period would benefit him.
The player will get a short break before returning to training and committing to his physical programme, Eberl explained, and there are no concerns about his readiness.
Diaz had previously spoken about his need for another player to compete with him for the wing position, so that he can get periods of rest when things do not go as required.
But Bayern loaned Arijon Ibrahimovic to Augsburg before the end of the transfer window, which left the left-wing position without a clear specialist replacement.
Vincent Kompany still has several solutions, most notably Serge Gnabry, alongside the possibility of using Saibari in some attacking roles.
Diaz got a similar rest back in December 2025, when Kompany sidelined him for a few days. The player then returned and delivered strong performances in the second half of the season.
One question remains: will the new rest succeed in returning Diaz to his level, and give him a chance to recover his goalscoring instinct early in the season?
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