Marcus Rashford is officially a new Barcelona player. He arrives with the mission of providing goals and speed to a team that's looking to regain prominence in LaLiga and in Europe. Fans have high expectations for the Englishman, who promises flair and clarity in the final third of the field.
However, before closing his signing, Barça considered another player whom Flick knows very well. It's Luis Díaz, the Colombian winger who currently shines at Bayern Munich. According to the German coach himself, Díaz would have been an ideal alternative, but his transfer proved impossible.
Luis Díaz, the talent that dazzles
Luis Díaz has had an impressive start to the season. In his first two Bundesliga matches, he already managed to score and stand out. In Bayern's victory over Augsburg (2-3), Díaz played all 90 minutes, scored after a cross from Laimer, and was chosen as the best player.
His numbers are outstanding: 6 shots, 2 on target, 2 blocked, and 2 off target, he won 6 out of 11 ground duels and 1 out of 2 aerial duels. Defensively, he recovered 9 balls and intercepted one, his passing accuracy reached 77%. With these stats, Díaz shows that he's not only fast and offensive, but also a complete player.
Flick admits his mistake
Flick, who knows Díaz's qualities well, has acknowledged that Deco was right: Luis Díaz would have been the ideal option compared to Rashford. The Colombian is a footballer who combines goals, flair, and vision, something Flick values highly.
The operation to bring him to Barça became complicated and ultimately couldn't be completed. Today, the German coach admits it was a mistake not to insist more. Díaz has established himself at Bayern and has proved he can make a difference in any match, something Rashford will have to prove little by little at Camp Nou.
From Europe to the World Cup
Beyond Bayern, Luis Díaz has a clear goal: to take his good form to the Colombia national team. He was drafted by Néstor Lorenzo for the latest South American Qualifiers matches. His goal is to help Colombia qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after failing to do so in Qatar 2022.
So far this season, Díaz has participated in 5 of Bayern's 14 goals, with 3 goals and 2 assists. His influence is evident and it's expected to keep growing both at the club and with the national team. The combination of speed, technique, and European experience makes him a crucial player for the upcoming challenges.