They held on until the end. But controversy remained. Bayern Munich preserved a point despite being a man down, but a late-match decision left another point of contention.
Bayern Munich drew 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen in the 2025-2026 Bundesliga round 26 at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, on Feb. 14 (Korean time). Munich recorded 67 points (21 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss) to keep first place in the league. Leverkusen stayed in sixth with 45 points (13 wins, 6 draws, 7 losses).
The match was tense from the start. Both teams applied high-intensity pressing and engaged in fierce exchanges. But the turning point came late in the first half.
It was the 42nd minute of the first half. Munich forward Nicolas Jackson was sent off for a rough tackle. The referee immediately showed a red card, and Munich found themselves a man down earlier than expected.
It was a difficult situation, but Munich did not collapse easily. Instead, they succeeded in mounting a comeback in the second half. In the 24th minute of the second half, Luis Díaz emerged as the finisher. Seizing a chance in a swift attack, he calmly finished to level the score.
But another variable appeared late in the match. In the 39th minute of the second half, Díaz went down inside the penalty box. A penalty-kick decision was expected to be debated, but the referee ruled otherwise. It was simulation. Díaz received a second yellow card and was ultimately sent off.
The situation changed in an instant. Bayern had to hold out with nine men for the remaining time. Leverkusen pressed hard, taking advantage of their numerical superiority. But Munich's defense maintained concentration until the end. The match finished 1-1.
After the match, the biggest topic was the decision. Vincent Kompany expressed strong dissatisfaction. Kompany said, "That incident is absolutely not a second caution. Whether it was a penalty can be debated, but there was clearly contact," adding, "Díaz fell and immediately got up. It was an honest action. But with the card given, he will miss the next match."
And the controversy grew after the match because referee Christian Dingert admitted a judging mistake. In a broadcast interview, he said, "It was wrong to give Díaz a second yellow card." It is rare for a referee to admit a mistake personally. But the problem was the consequence of the decision. The sanctions already imposed remain in place.
Díaz's red card will not be overturned. His suspension for the next match cannot be avoided. In addition, Jonathan Tah will also be unable to play in the next match due to accumulation of yellow cards. In the end, Bayern faced an unexpected shortage.
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