Toni Kroos Criticizes Luis Diaz Red Card After Hakimi Injury

Former Real Madrid star Toni Kroos expressed his displeasure with the decision to send off Colombian forward Luis Diaz during the UEFA Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, following a strong challenge on Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi.

Speaking on his podcast "Einfach mal Luppen," Kroos stated that "the red card was not deserved." He explained that the referee "was influenced more by Hakimi's injury than by an actual assessment of the tackle." He added, "If Hakimi had gotten up after the contact, the incident wouldn't have been reviewed at all."

The German star emphasized that while the tackle was strong, there was no malicious intent from Diaz. He suggested that referees should "judge the action itself, not its consequences."

Diaz had initially received a yellow card, but the decision was upgraded to a direct red after a VAR review. The forceful challenge resulted in Hakimi suffering an ankle sprain that will sideline him for six to eight weeks, raising concerns about his participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.