Nicolas Jackson’s latest infuriating red card will seal his Bayern Munich fate | OneFootball

If we ever get around to making an XI of football’s most infuriating players, Nicolas Jackson would be our starting striker and captain.

Jackson’s movement triggers moments of eye-moistening beauty, especially in a regimented age for the sport at elite level.

The Chelsea man’s finishing, while often ridiculed, can be clinical if he’s woken up on the right side of bed, avoided walking under any ladders and had an assistant vaporise any black cats before they enter his line of vision.

But there are moments where Jackson is all too human. When blood rushes to his head, short-circuiting any teachings about discipline.

It’s enough to make a bald man go to Turkey, get a hair transplant and tear it out. Nobody knows if he’s any good or not.

The evidence of his performance for Bayern Munich in Saturday’s match at Bayer Leverkusen suggests Jackson might not be worth the hassle.

Starting ahead of the injured Harry Kane, this was an ideal opportunity to build on his goalscoring display at Atalanta on Tuesday and tempt Bayern into making his loan more permanent.

But Bayern were already losing 1-0 before Jackson mistook Leverkusen winger Martin Terrier for a chew toy.

In what was the perfect demonstration of a ‘striker’s tackle’, the Senegal international flew into his opponent with abandon and studs raised.

The sole of his foot was planted into Terrier’s ankle, with the ball long gone. It was almost like Jackson wanted to self-tattoo his opponent.

Inexplicably, the referee failed to award a red card until VAR whispered the usual sweet nothings in his ear. Jackson walked off the pitch with the requisite embarrassment.

Bayern drew the game 1-1 thanks to Luis Diaz’s equaliser, although the Colombian was later sent off himself for diving.

“The result against Arsenal [1-1 draw] shows it’ll be a tough game,” Kompany had said before the match. “They were difficult to break down.

“Maybe they even deserved to get more from the game. That’s perfect for me, as the players know it won’t be easy. We’ll have to be aggressive if we’re going to get a result.”

Perhaps Jackson was simply following his manager’s orders? Although we doubt the Bayern hierarchy shares this viewpoint.

It’s galling for the 24-year-old, desperate to make a good impression after being pushed down the pecking order at Chelsea.

“In football, there can be a time when you want a change,” Jackson said at his unveiling in September.

I spoke to (sporting director) Max Eberl and the coach and they really wanted me to be here and they loved me.

“And as a player, you want to be there where people want you to be.”

Joao Pedro may have been an upgrade, but Liam Delap has failed to impress at Stamford Bridge despite manager Liam Rosenior giving him countless opportunities.

It’s unlikely Jackson will stay at Bayern beyond May, especially after this rash red card that reminded everybody of this infuriating talent.