Luis Diaz set to miss Bayern Munich’s key fixtures after thigh injury

Luis Diaz is expected to be sidelined for at least a month after Bayern Munich confirmed the Colombia winger suffered a minor tear to the fibres of his left hamstring.

The injury occurred during Bayern’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Champions League at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Wednesday.

German newspaper Bild reported that magnetic resonance imaging scans showed the problem was more serious than initially feared. It said Diaz could be out for between four and six weeks, depending on the progress of his recovery.

That would rule him out of Bayern’s fixtures against Freiburg, Magdeburg, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid and Mainz. He is also expected to miss Colombia’s two matches during the November international break.

There are further doubts over whether Diaz will be fit to face Koln, Lille and Hamburg after the international period.

Diaz began the match against Arsenal on the bench but was introduced as a substitute. He was forced to leave the field in the closing stages as the game ended level.

The 29-year-old had already been experiencing muscle problems before the Champions League encounter, which contributed to Bayern manager Vincent Kompany’s decision not to select him in the starting line-up.

The initial assessment of the injury had been more positive, but the subsequent medical examinations raised concerns about the length of Diaz’s absence.

His injury comes during a particularly congested period of Bayern’s schedule, with the club facing a run of domestic and European matches while also preparing for the international break.

Bayern’s next listed opponents include Bundesliga sides Freiburg, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz, as well as Magdeburg, before the Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid. Diaz’s potential absence would also extend into the period after the break if he is unable to recover in time for the matches against Koln, Lille and Hamburg.

The club have confirmed the nature of the injury, while the precise return date will depend on how the Colombian responds to rehabilitation over the coming weeks.