Bayern Munich and Germany star Jamal Musiala has suffered a serious injury while playing at the FIFA Club World Cup, with his club now confirming the extent of the damage.
Musiala was stretchered off the pitch during Bayern’s quarterfinal defeat to PSG in Atlanta on Saturday.
The Bayern Munich midfielder was visibly distressed as he left the pitch on a stretcher and now he’s set to be out for several months.
Jamal Musiala injury update — Bayern Munich statement
In a statement Bayern Munich have confirmed that Musiala suffered a “fractured fibula as a result of an ankle dislocation” and will “undergo surgery shortly” as he flew from the USA back to Munich on Sunday morning.
Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl released the following statement as he admitted the 22-year-old star will be “out for another long period” after only just returning from injury.
“This serious injury and the long absence are a real shock for Jamal and all of us. This hits FC Bayern hard. Everyone knows how immensely important Jamal is for our game and what a central role he plays for our team,” Eberl said. “Furthermore, the human impact is incredibly bitter; we all feel for him: Jamal has just recovered from an injury and will now be out for another long period. He will get everything he needs from us. We will support him intensively and be by his side, and we are already looking forward to him being back on the pitch.”
What happened?
Right at the end of the first half Musiala was involved in a nasty collision as PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma slid out to get the ball and Musiala fell to the floor.
Musiala’s ankle and lower leg were caught underneath Donnarumma as the PSG goalkeeper slid in.
Players from both teams looked shaken up as medical staff treated the superstar midfielder. The referee then blew his whistle for half time as it was pretty clear the injury was a serious one. Musiala was then carried off the pitch on a stretcher and had his hands on his head and then his shirt over his head.
Manuel Neuer hits out at Donnarumma
PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma looked very upset after the incident but Bayern Munich weren’t happy with his decision to slide in to Musiala the way he did.
"[This is] a situation where you don’t have to go in like that; that’s reckless,” an angry Bayern Munich goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer said. “He accepts the risk of injuring his opponent. I went to him and said: ‘Don’t you want to go to [check on] our player? It’s a question of respect to go over and wish the guy all the best. He did it afterwards. Fairness is always important. I would have reacted differently.”
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany also had his say on the incident and was bitterly disappointed for Musiala, while Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl hit out at Donnarumma, who was booed by the Bayern fans in the second half: “I don’t think at all that he did it on purpose, but he also didn’t take care.”
