While the foul did look dangerous at that moment, former Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Germany midfielder Toni Kroos came to Diaz's defence, while slamming the referee as the legendary player felt that the decision was too harsh.
Speaking on his Einfach mal Luppen podcast, Kroos was emphatic in his belief that the referee made the wrong call as he said: "For me, it’s clear: it wasn’t a red card," Kroos said, insisting that the referee "let Hakimi’s injury have too much of an influence on his assessment of the play."
The German argued that the challenge itself, while forceful, did not indicate malicious intent from Diaz. He added: "If Hakimi had gotten up after the challenge, nobody would have reviewed the play."
Kroos also turned his attention toward the role of the VAR team, suggesting that replaying slow-motion angles can distort reality. "In situations like these, the referee should judge the action itself, not the consequences," he concluded.