Max Eberl fires back at Díaz doubters: “Maybe some people will now take it back”

Nineteen goals and 14 assists in 31 games. Those are the numbers that underline Luis Díaz’s outstanding season at Bayern Munich. 

The forward has emerged as one of the German side’s leading figures, repaying the faith shown by club executives midway through last year when they signed him from Liverpool.

On Wednesday, the 29-year-old winger was on target in a 2-0 win over Leipzig in the German Cup quarterfinals. After the game, Bayern sporting director Max Eberl was full of praise.

Speaking to reporters, Eberl defended the decision to bring in the Colombian. While acknowledging there had been early criticism, he made clear that the club never doubted the move. He stressed his conviction in Díaz’s style of play.

“We were criticized a little at the beginning [for signing him], but we knew what we were doing. We were convinced he would fit in very well with us, not only because of his goals and assists, but also because of his attitude and intensity. He showed that at Liverpool for years,” Eberl said.

“We believed he was a perfect fit for the way we want to play soccer. It’s a very good signing. Maybe some people will now take it back and say: well, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all,” he added.

Eberl also highlighted Bayern’s current form. The team sits comfortably atop the Bundesliga standings, has reached the German Cup semifinals and advanced directly to the Champions League round of 16. Even so, he urged caution heading into the decisive stretch of the season.

“We’re in all three competitions. We wanted an intense March, and now we have it with the Champions League round of 16 and the Pokal semifinals. We’re very proud. You compete in all three competitions to win them, but step by step. If you always look too far ahead, you can easily stumble,” he concluded.