You don’t know what you have until it’s gone. A one-time chart entry with a 1988 power ballad, apparently, and a rather cheesy phrase often used by teenagers after breaking up with their first love interest.
In Liverpool’s case, it is also the best way to sum up their marriage with Luis Diaz. He was, in hindsight, underappreciated. Not that he was not loved – his terrace chant, to the tune of anti-fascist Italian folk song Bella Ciao, was a toe-tapper.
‘Luis Diaz, he’s from Barrancas and he plays for Liverpool,’ would often reverberate around Anfield during his 148 games for the club. But given he did not score at the same rate as Mohamed Salah or even his predecessor Sadio Mane, he was maybe not idolised the same.
No one is saying he should be recalled as fondly as soon-to-depart legend Salah or Mane, who scored 120 goals – but it is fair to say this: Diaz is sorely missed. His attacking output, off-the-ball work-rate and character left a hole in the team.
He joined Bayern Munich for £65.1million in late July after a protracted saga and has since scored 25 goals and registered 20 assists. He is part of a formidable front three alongside Harry Kane (53 goals, six assists) and Michael Olise (19 goals, 29 assists).
Bet against Bayern winning the Champions League at your peril, with the already-crowned champions of Germany travelling to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday for the first leg of their semi-final.
Luis Diaz has enjoyed an incredible first season at Bayern Munich, scoring 25 goals in total
He has formed a superb attacking triumvirate with Harry Kane (right) and Michael Olise (left)
In Bavaria, they talk of this being their best team Bayern have had since the Pep Guardiola era. They beat PSG in the 2020 final under Hansi Flick but the final was played behind closed doors in Lisbon due to the Covid pandemic. It was not the same.
Before that, Bayern won in 2013 by beating Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund at Wembley and then in 2001. But this side is the best in a generation. It is undoubtedly spearheaded by Kane yet they do not underestimate Diaz as a vital cog in the typically German efficient machine.
‘Lucho brings a lot to the team,’ said boss Vincent Kompany. ‘He can dribble, create chances, and finish. But what makes him special is his mentality – he’s not afraid of chaos and becomes a threat in those situations.
‘He brings a lot of energy to the team. You can only congratulate the club on signing such a player. He’s a great player for Bayern Munich.’
Bayern legend Philipp Lahm, who won eight Bundesliga titles as well as lifting the World Cup as Germany captain, also sang his praises this week and added: ‘What sets him apart is that he’s also a worker. You have brilliant footballers in your ranks but you also have to work.
‘He does that in unbelievable fashion, also his aggression and that he works in both directions, going forward but also defensively.’
Those in the building at Liverpool used to refer to him as a ‘pressing monster’, a manager’s dream in terms of the off-the-ball work. The intensity he showed running at defenders was matched by the levels he had chasing back and pressuring opponents.
It is this tenacity that is sorely missed at Liverpool. His goal tally of 17 was not to be sniffed at last year, especially when often played out of position as a No 9, and fellow left-winger Cody Gakpo — who Bayern also briefly considered, it is understood — has suffered a noticeable dip in form since Diaz’s exit.
Selling him made a lot of sense at the time, though. Diaz first indicated his desire to leave a year earlier and both parties – player and club – knew his value would probably never be higher. The Colombian wanted a new contract but nothing was ever close.
Diaz is sorely missed at Liverpool but his sale last summer for £65.1m made sense at the time
Even Pep Guardiola pinpointed Diaz as a potential signing for Manchester City at one point in 2024 but the club went for Savinho instead of testing the waters with modern rivals Liverpool. Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr also considered signing him.
But Bayern remained attentive after a rather dismal transfer window where Leroy Sane rejected a new contract to leave for Galatasaray and other targets, like Bradley Barcola (PSG) and Nico Williams (Athletic Club) turned them down.
Eventually, they beat Barcelona to the punch and signed Diaz after protracted talks led by Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes. Repeatedly, the Scottish negotiator told Bayern he was not for sale and the Reds exploited maximum value.
Given he was 28 and had pushed to leave having never really settled in north-west England, it made a lot of sense for Liverpool and off he went in an amicable break-up. When Diaz’s father was kidnapped in Colombia, the club supported their player in ways that he will never forget.
Let’s not rewrite history about whether the club were right or wrong to cash in as it made a lot of sense at the time, especially noting the £450million outlay on signings like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak needed to be balanced out.
Despite that, though, it is fair to say Liverpool’s loss is Bayern’s gain. Diaz might not score the goals of Kane or Olise but he is just as vital to Kompany’s well-oiled Bavarian machine – now can he fire them to a seventh European Cup crown?
