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JAMAL MUSIALA NAMED IN BAYERN MUNICH'S UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SQUAD

Jamal Musiala has not played for Bayern Munich since suffering a serious leg injury on 5 July. - © IMAGO/Teresa Kröger /M.i.S.

Bayern Munich have included injured star Jamal Musiala in their squad for the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.

Musiala, who has been out of action since suffering a serious leg and ankle break against Paris Saint-Germain at the FIFA Club World Cup in July, is among the 23 players selected by Vincent Kompany for the league phase of the tournament, which gets under way later this month.

The 22-year-old told Sport Bild earlier this week that he is aiming to return to first-team action with Bayern before the end of the calendar year.

His return has now moved one step closer after his inclusion in Kompany's squad, which also features new signings Tom Bischof, Luis Díaz, Nicolas Jackson and Jonathan Tah as well as the usual suspects such as Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich and captain Manuel Neuer.

“The healing process is going according to plan,” he said. “I no longer need crutches. “I don’t want to specify a date, but given the progress I’ve made so far, I’d say I want to be playing competitive matches with Bayern in 2025.”

The reigning Bundesliga champions, who have started the 2025/26 season with four wins in all competitions, kick-off their Champions League campaign at home to English Premier League side Chelsea at the Allianz Arena on 17 September. 

They will then face Paris Saint-Germain (A), Club Brugge (H), Arsenal (A), Sporting Lisbon (H), PSV Eindhoven (A), Union Saint-Gilloise (H), and Pafos (A) in the league stage.

Bayern’s Champions League squad in full:

Goalkeepers

Manuel Neuer, Sven Ulreich, Jonas Urbig

Defenders

Dayot Upamecano, Minjae Kim, Jonathan Tah, Hiroki Ito, Raphaël Guerreiro, Sacha Boey, Cassiano Kiala, Josip Stanišić

Midfielders

Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise, Alphonso Davies, Tom Bischof, Konrad Laimer, Aleksandar Pavlović

Forwards

Serge Gnabry, Harry Kane, Nicolas Jackson, Luis Díaz

- Bundesliga

LIVERPOOL BOSS SLOT GUSHES OVER HAT-TRICK HERO LUIS DIAZ

Arne Slot said he "loves" Luis Díaz just like fans in Liverpool and Colombia after the forward scored a Champions League hat trick in a 4-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield.

Liverpool moved clear at the top of the Champions League table with a fourth straight win in this season's competition following Díaz's hat trick and a Cody Gakpo header. But with Díaz being handed an unfamiliar central role by Slot, the Colombia international took advantage by scoring three times in 29 minutes against the German champions.

And Liverpool coach Slot said he has as much affection for Díaz as the fans after watching him net his hat trick.

"Not only do people in Colombia love 'Lucho,' the fans in Liverpool love him too," Slot said. "I heard many times the fans singing his song and the manager likes him a lot as well. I don't love him, but I like him a lot."

"It's not possible for every player to play every game. I only have four attackers available with the injuries we have and, with the fixture list it's impossible to play them. But for me, 'Lucho' is a starter."

Diaz has scored 9 goals in 15 games in all competitions for Liverpool this season and become a key figure for Slot. And he paid tribute to the former Feyenoord coach for quickly filling the void left by former manager Jurgen Klopp.

"Things have gone so well with the new manager, it wasn't easy for him to come in and fill Jurgen Klopp's shoes," Diaz said. "Hopefully, we'll have something to show for it at the end of the season.

Luis Diaz celebrates after scoring one of his three goals for Liverpool in their Champions League win over Leverkusen. Getty Images

"The most important thing is the three points in this edition of the Champions League so we can keep progressing in the competition.

"We have top-quality players all over the pitch and I really enjoyed playing in that position today. I'm just happy to be on the pitch.

"I need to go and find that ball now because I need to keep it somewhere special at home."

- Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

LIVERPOOL MISS CHANCE TO GO TOP AFTER DRAW WITH MAN UNITED

Mohamed Salah scored a late equaliser from a penalty as Liverpool escaped Old Trafford with a point in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Sunday to end the weekend second in the Premier League table.

Salah stroked home in the 84th minute for his sixth league goal at Old Trafford, the most of any visiting player in the league's history, overtaking Steven Gerrard's five.

With seven games remaining in the neck-and-neck title race, Liverpool and Arsenal have 71 points with Mikel Arteta's team leading on goal difference. Reigning champions Manchester City are third on 70 points, while United are sixth.

Luis Díaz got Liverpool on the scoreboard in the  minute when Dominik Szoboszlai swung in a corner that Darwin Nunez headed to the unmarked Colombian who hooked in a volley from close range.

But Bruno Fernandes scored a wild goal -- the United skipper's 50th league goal for the side -- with their first shot on target in the 50th minute when he latched on to a loose Liverpool pass and lobbed the ball from the centre circle past keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Kobbie Mainoo had the Old Trafford faithful roaring with his rocket from just inside the 18-yard box that sailed into the far top corner in the 67th minute. The 18-year-old sprinted to the corner flag to salute the crowd.

Liverpool were awarded their penalty when Harvey Elliott was taken down in the box. 

- ESPN

COLOMBIAN JUDGE ORDERS PRISON FOR 2 SUSPECTS IN THE KIDNAPPING OF PARENTS OF LUIS DIAZ

AP Photo 

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Two suspects in the kidnapping of the parents of Liverpool soccer player Luis Díaz were ordered sent to prison by a judge, Colombia’s Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday, accusing one of the men of being the link to a person close to the family who provided information about the victims.

Andrés Alcires Bolívar and Marlon Rafael Brito are also accused of maintaining contacts with members of the National Liberation Army, or ELN, in the planning and execution of the Oct. 28 abductions in Barrancas, a town in La Guajira in Colombia’s northeast of Colombia.

Díaz’s parents - Luis Manuel Díaz Jiménez and Cilenis Marulanda — were kidnapped by a unit of the ELN at a gas station by armed men on motorcycles.