Colombian forward Luiz Diaz made a triumphant return to Liverpool’s team, securing an important equalizer for the Reds against Luton. This crucial point propelled Liverpool to third place on the Premier League Table, surpassing Arsenal, who suffered a loss to Newcastle United.
Diaz, who had missed Liverpool’s previous two games, had been diligently training since Thursday. He was named among the substitutes for the match at Kenilworth Road and made a game-changing impact when he entered the pitch in the 83rd minute. In a heart-stopping moment during the fifth minute of stoppage time, he scored, ensuring a 1-1 draw for his team.
However, it was more than just a goal that Diaz delivered on that day. After scoring, he revealed a T-shirt with a powerful message: “Libertad Para Papa” (“Freedom For Papa”). The emotional plea read as follows:
“Today the footballer is not speaking to you. Today Lucho Diaz, the son of Luis Manuel Diaz, is speaking to you. Mane, my dad, is a tireless worker, a pillar in the family, and he has been kidnapped. I ask the ELN for the prompt release of my father, and I ask international organizations to work together for his freedom.
Every second, every minute, our anguish grows. My mother, my brothers, and I are desperate, distressed, and without words to describe what we are feeling. This suffering will only end when we have him back home. I beg you to release him immediately, respecting his integrity and ending this painful wait as soon as possible.”
In response to this heartfelt appeal, the guerrilla group, National Liberation Army (ELN), holding Luis Diaz’s father hostage, pledged to “keep their word” and free him. However, they insisted on receiving “security guarantees” before releasing the 58-year-old.
It’s important to note that both of Diaz’s parents were kidnapped in the small Colombian town of Barrancas the previous weekend. Fortunately, his mother was rescued within hours by the police. The Colombian government has identified ELN as the group responsible for the kidnapping.
