“It was never a yellow card” – Referee admits error after Luis Díaz sending off in 1-1 thriller
Things heated up in the Bundesliga on Saturday as Bayern Munich fought like lions to escape with a 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen. But the big story isn’t just the score—it’s the “wahala” caused by the referee’s decision to send off Luis Díaz, a move that even the official himself later admitted was a mistake.
Bayern fans were already biting their nails before the match started. With Manuel Neuer out with a calf injury and backup keeper Jonas Urbig recovering from a concussion, third-choice goalie Sven Ulreich had to step into the post.
The game started roughly for the visitors. Just six minutes in, 18-year-old German-American star Montrell Culbreath snatched the ball from Luis Díaz and set up a play that allowed Aleix García to fire Leverkusen into the lead.
Bayern’s troubles doubled just before halftime when Nicolas Jackson saw a straight red card for a late tackle on Martin Terrier. Playing with 10 men against a team as good as Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen is hard enough, but Bayern didn’t back down.
In the second half, the “Goal Machine” Harry Kane finally returned to the pitch after being out since late February. His presence changed the energy, and in the 69th minute, Luis Díaz redeemed his earlier mistake by slotting home an equalizer thanks to a sweet pass from Michael Olise.
However, the real drama started in the 84th minute. The referee, Christian Dingert, showed Díaz a second yellow card for “diving.” Bayern players and coach Vincent Kompany were livid. Replays showed there was clear contact, and Díaz had actually tried to get up immediately to continue the play.
Speaking after the game, a frustrated Kompany didn’t hold back: “It’s never a second yellow card, it’s never even a yellow card. He falls because there’s contact, and he stands up straight away. He could not be more honest. Now he is suspended for the next game for nothing.”
Even the referee had to humble himself after seeing the video. “Yeah, the Luis Díaz… is not a second yellow card,” Dingert admitted to Sky Sport after the final whistle.
Down to just nine players for the final minutes, Bayern hung on for dear life. Sven Ulreich proved his worth with some big saves, and Leverkusen even had a last-minute goal by Jonas Hofmann ruled out.
Despite the frustration, Kompany said he was “incredibly proud” of the mental strength his boys showed. Bayern hasn’t won a league game at Leverkusen since 2021, and they will have to go back there again next month for a massive German Cup semi-final. For now, they head home knowing they fought a good fight, even if the “man in black” didn’t make it easy for them.
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