Luis Diaz backs referee's decision to send off Camavinga in Bayern-Real Madrid UCL clash
Bayern Munich forward Luis Diaz said referee Slavko Vinčić was correct to send off Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in the 86th minute of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg. Camavinga received a second yellow card for holding onto the ball when Bayern was awarded a free-kick. Diaz told El Chiringuito, "We wanted to take the free kick quickly and he didn’t release the ball."
The dismissal came with Real Madrid leading 2-3 thanks to braces from Arda Güler and a goal from Kylian Mbappe. After the red card, Bayern scored to win 4-3 on aggregate, eliminating Los Blancos from the competition. Vinčić’s decision sparked debate over whether the caution for delaying a restart warranted a sending-off at such a crucial stage.
For Nigerian football fans, the incident highlights how split-second referee judgments can sway Champions League ties and affect club fortunes. It also raises questions about consistency in applying the rule for delaying restarts across elite matches.
Do you agree with Diaz that the referee was right to show Camavinga a second yellow, or do you believe the decision was overly harsh given the match context?