Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala arrives for a training session at the ESPN Sports Complex ahead Sunday’s FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 soccer match against CR Flamengo. Sven Hoppe/dpa
Bayern Munich were set to return to Germany on Sunday after their Club World Cup exit, licking their wounds after a 2-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain and bracing themselves for months without influential playmaker Jamal Musiala.
Musiala sustained a suspected fibula fracture and is also said to have torn ligaments in his left leg after being hit by PSG goalkeeper Ginaluigi Donnarumma late in the first half of ther match PSG won 2-0.
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Bayern were yet to announce an official diagnosis for the 22-year-old, and it was also unclear whether he would join the team on the return flight to Germany or undergo surgery in the US, according to board member for sport Max Eberl.
Another big setback for Musiala
It was a major setback for Musiala who was making his first start since suffering a muscle injury three months ago, and who will also be missed by Germany’s national team which plays World Cup qualifiers in autumn.
“What gets my blood boiling is not the result but it happened to someone who loves the game so much and is also very important for us,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.
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The Musiala injury completely overshadowed the end of Thomas Müller’s trophy-laden 25 years with 756 first team matches at the club, and the 35-year-old Müller quickly dismissed as “tawdry” suggestions he should perhaps be given another short-term deal to cover in Musiala’s absence.
Injury makes reinforecments more important
Musiala’s fate was the emotional blow on a day when ambitions Bayern found out again that they can compete with the best but not quite have the class to beat them – even conceding the second goal when Ousmane Dembelé wrapped up matters after PSG were reduced to nine players.
Eberl said that Bayern “learnt the hard way” that they didn’t attack well in the end, after the team “went toe-to-toe with the current Champions League winners and played very well.”
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Eberl said that Musiala’s road to recovery “will definitely not be easy” – and neither will his own task of finding an adequate replacement, and reinforcements in general to be more competitive.
The Woltemade case
This could speed up their effort to get new Germany forward Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart.
Bayern have been after the 23-year-old for weeks but Stuttgart allegedly want a huge fee, with some some reports speaking of close to €100 million ($118 million), to get him out of his contract until 2028.
Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeness has just named Woltemade “a very, very good player who would be a great fit for us.”
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Bayern may be ready to spend more than originally planned – including fresh income from the Club World Cup – because Woltemade is not only a reliable goal scorer but he can also play in Musiala’s position.
New players are also needed if Bayern don’t want to fall further behind PSG and others on the international stage, having also missed the Champions League final in their home stadium in a quarter-final defeat against eventual finalists Inter Milan.
Fresh ambitions after holiday
Kompany meanwhile announced a three-week holiday for the players to recharge their batteries for the new season which the Bundesliga champions start on August 16 in the Super Cup at German Cup winners Stuttgart.
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Veteran goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer remained defiant after Saturday’s match, insisting that “FC Bayern are a force to be reckoned with – you’ve seen that this season.
“This match in particular is an example, to say: now more than ever, we want to go for it in Europe again, and also be up there in the Bundesliga and DFB Cup again. We need to take this motivation from games like this, to say: this time we’re on it,” Neuer said.
