In what many believe would be a one-sided contest, Schalke 04 sent a shockwave through the league, holding record champion Bayern Munich to a goalless draw. The home side was phenomenal defensively, but Bayern could not help but rue missed chances from Luis Diaz.
This game against Schalke might be Diaz's worst game since his arrival in Germany, with three big opportunities missed, including two one-on-ones, that cost Bayern a victory.
While his world-class positioning allows him to find the pockets of space for goals, his composure and finishing need to improve as the season progresses. However, the issue for Bayern goes deeper than just Diaz missing sitters.
Diaz also looked harmless for most of the game, especially on the ball and in duels. His trademark explosiveness was nowhere to be seen, and the fatigue clearly showed in his general play.
Despite the disappointing show, Vincent Kompany had no choice but to let Diaz continue simply because there was no viable option on the bench who could fill in for him. The Colombian has played at least 90 minutes in all four matches so far this season, only getting substituted once.
Season is going to be physically challenging for players due to World Cup
Diaz's fatigue levels are going to be significantly higher this season after playing for Colombia in the World Cup. He played over 4000 minutes in all competitions, his personal record.
The former Liverpool forward's physical struggle showed at the tail end of the 2025/26 season, leading many fans to expect the board to find an additional left-winger to compete with the Colombian for playing time. This was indeed the initial plan with the pursuit of Anthony Gordon, but Bayern eventually opted out due to a high transfer fee.
In the end, no proper left-winger came to the Allianz Arena. Bayern tried to use academy product Arijon Ibrahimovic as a possible secondary option, but his poor preseason performances failed to convince the management team.
Bayern and Vincent Kompany have to find a way to cope with this current situation, as tight schedules are coming up with the Champions League and the later rounds of the DFB Pokal.
Bayern's summer signing Ismael Saibari is capable of playing on the left. However, his speed might hinder him from making a similar impact as he has down the middle. Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry are other viable options, as Musiala has played in this position for Germany and Gnabry is naturally a winger.
The ultimate rotational piece at the moment might be Alphonso Davies, who has the physical tools to excel as a winger. But Vincent Kompany might still prefer to play Canada's star as a left-back where his recovery speed is crucial to Bayern's high line.
The clear priority for Bayern Munich in the winter market will be buying a younger left-wing talent to support and learn from Luis Diaz while ensuring the Colombian's physical readiness in the latter stage of the campaign.
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