“Luis Diaz shines in the Champions League and justifies leaving Liverpool.”

Luis Díaz has no doubts: swapping Liverpool for Bayern Munich was the right choice! Following a dominant performance at the Santiago Bernabéu, where he played a decisive role in the Bavarians’ 2-1 victory against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, the Colombian forward reaffirms that his career has taken a significant leap since moving to the Bundesliga.

The winger, signed for 75 million euros last July, opened the scoring in a match where Bayern asserted their authority against the Spanish giant, achieving their first continental victory over Real Madrid since 2012. His influence was crucial: with 41 goal involvements this season, Díaz is proving that the German investment was justified.

In the Spanish capital, Díaz made a stunning start that set the tone for the match. The team led by Vincent Kompany controlled the pace of the game, registering nine shots on target and managing the match with skill. The Colombian’s performance reflects an impressive run of five assists and goals in the last four European matches, solidifying him as a key piece in Bayern’s setup.

Successfully adapted to his new club, Díaz has scored 23 goals and provided 18 assists this season, results that leave him fully satisfied: “Deciding to join Bayern was the right choice. I am very happy and enjoying every game. I feel in great shape, ready to help the team. We have a clear plan, we are a very united group, and that shows on the pitch,” he confessed in an interview with ESPN.

The strategy of Bayern to win in Madrid was meticulously planned to nullify Real’s advances and enhance the counterattack, where Díaz shone by exploiting spaces left by the opposing defense. However, the forward did not hide a slight frustration that the result was not more pronounced: “We had already analyzed Real Madrid and the goal came exactly as we planned. We felt more comfortable as the game progressed, regained possession more, and controlled the pace better. We enjoy playing like this. We are very happy, but there was that feeling that we could have scored one or two more goals. We faced a very strong opponent and played a fantastic match.”

Now, the pressure is mounting in Munich, where Bayern holds a nine-point lead in the Bundesliga and is preparing for a DFB-Pokal semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen, scheduled for April 22. Before that, Díaz’s team has the task of securing a place in the Champions League semifinals by completing the job against Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena. The Colombian knows that maintaining this level of excellence is crucial to dream of winning the highly coveted treble this season.

Luis Díaz, Bayern’s new hero, is making waves in Europe and promises even more thrilling challenges ahead. His decision to leave Anfield to embrace a new challenge in Germany could prove to be one of the most impactful moves in European football in 2024. Stay tuned, because the best is yet to come!

This article first appeared on Apito Final.