Diaz Reflects on AFCON Heartbreak as Madrid Shines in La Liga

Moments after Senegal had a goal controversially disallowed in the AFCON final earlier this month, Diaz was awarded a contentious penalty, which led The Lions of Teranga to walk off the pitch in protest.

Following a lengthy delay, Diaz was unable to successfully execute his questionable Panenka penalty, allowing Senegal to triumph in the final during extra time. In the wake of that agonizing defeat, the Madrid player admitted he had “failed” and extended an apology from the “bottom of my heart.”

He shared on Instagram: “My soul hurts. I dreamed of this title thanks to all the love you all gave me, every message, every show of support that made me feel I wasn’t alone. I fought with everything I had, with my heart above all else. Yesterday I failed and I take full responsibility. I apologize from the bottom of my heart. It will be hard for me to recover, because this wound doesn’t heal easily… but I will try. Not for myself, but for everyone who believed in me and for everyone who suffered with me. I will keep going forward until one day I can give you all this love back and become a source of pride for my Moroccan people.”

On Saturday, Mbappe scored a brace for Madrid against Villarreal, enabling them to surpass rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Diaz only made a late appearance in the match, but prior to his introduction, the France international celebrated his Panenka goal. Movistar cameras captured the moment when the 27-year-old dedicated his goal to Diaz, shouting, “For you, for you.”

After the match, former Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe confirmed that the penalty was in honor of Diaz. Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions, and winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over from Xabi Alonso, praised Mbappe and teammate Vinicius Junior as “the best players in the world” after his side secured a valuable three points. Although Los Blancos were not at their best, they managed to return to the summit after trailing Barcelona for several months. Mbappe’s brace brought him to 21 league goals this season, prompting Arbeloa to commend the Frenchman.

He stated, “They’re the best players in the world, two really dangerous players. We try to get them as many balls as possible. With Vini on the outside and Kylian finding space. We’re very happy with them in this form, and above all with the work they’re doing. It’s their effort and solidarity, and they’re being rewarded with goals.”

Vinicius Jr. has faced a challenging season, at times being booed by his own fans and experiencing lengthy goal droughts. However, Arbeloa expressed his delight with Vinicius’ performance against Villarreal.

“What we’re seeing, just like on Wednesday night, is a great Vinícius. We have to make the most of him, and look for him as often as possible, to get him into one-on-ones [with defenders]. It’s what I’ve always said, we’re so lucky to have him,” he remarked.

Barcelona has the opportunity to overtake Madrid in the standings if they secure a win against Oviedo on Sunday afternoon. Looking ahead, Los Blancos will face Vallecano at home on February 1. Incidentally, Arbeloa’s comments suggest that his side is on the rise.

Arbeloa concluded, “Everyone’s commitment, effort, work, is the first thing I’ve seen since I arrived. Winning on this ground has a lot of merit and it’s thanks to the work of the boys. We haven’t had many days to work either; they have been more recovery than work, but little by little they understand what we want. With more time, everything will be easier. They are players of a high level, and with little that you order them and tell them what we want from them, things are going well.”