JAMAL MUSIALA RETURNS: CAN BAYERN’S “BEST PLAYER” RECLAIM THE BUNDESLIGA THRONE
Harry Kane celebrates Jamal Musiala’s return after 164 days out. Will the German star feature in Bayern’s final game of 2025?
Harry Kane is happy to have Jamal Musiala, who he thinks is Bayern Munich's best player, back on the team after being out for six months with an injury. The 21-year-old German player has been out since July. He got hurt during Bayern's match against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup.
Musiala Returns to Training
Musiala's return to training this week at Sabener Strabe marks a huge step in his recovery. He was badly hurt last summer and had to be stretchered off after a bad hit. He needed surgery and a long recovery, which Bayern's doctors took slowly. They watched every step closely as he worked to move again and regain his strength and confidence. His first outdoor practice on Tuesday was a big sign of progress.
Kane Is Excited to Have Musiala Back
Kane quickly shared how glad he was to see Musiala back. He told Sky Sports Germany, "It's great to have him back." Even before he got hurt last season, I thought he was often the best player on the team. It's like we've signed two great new players, like Alphonso Davies. I'm really happy they're back. They're important, especially with how we play. They fit in perfectly because of how strong they are, how they start plays, and how they run.
Kane also said that people shouldn't expect too much too soon and that Musiala needs time to get back to his best.
He said, They shouldn't feel too pressured and should focus on getting fit first. That will take a few weeks. But we'll need them even more when February comes, and things get really important.
Bayern Is Doing Well Despite Musiala's Absence
Even though Musiala has been out for a while, Bayern has still been doing great. Under Vincent Kompany, they've only lost one game in all competitions, thanks to their strong attack. Kane has been leading the way, with help from Luis Díaz, Michael Olise, and Serge Gnabry. Young player Lennart Karl has also been doing well, showing how much talent Bayern has. Because of this, Bayern can afford to be patient and not rush Musiala back, as they lead the Bundesliga.
Kompany has been careful about how much people expect from Musiala's return. Before Bayern's 2-2 game with Mainz, he said that Musiala is close to being ready to play, but they won't take any shortcuts.
Jamal is getting close, he said. Hopefully it will be next week. But I want to be clear that there's no pressure on Jamal or the doctors. Hopefully, he can get in some practices before Christmas. That would be good for him and the team. Then, he can start playing in January. That would be ideal.
Davies; Musiala's Return Boosts Team Morale
Alphonso Davies also recently returned after being out for nine months with a knee injury. He and Musiala are looking forward to starting 2026 in great shape. Captain Joshua Kimmich talked about how hard it can be mentally to deal with these kinds of injuries. He praised Davies' strength and said that both Davies and Musiala stayed involved with the team even when they couldn't play.
The way he handled his rehab was amazing. "I don't think I could have done it with as much energy," Kimmich said.
He always tried to stay close to the team. He's been with us in the locker room for months, coming to the games and hanging out with Jamal, playing music, and trying to keep everyone's spirits up. That's something you can't take for granted.
It's unlikely that Musiala will be rushed back for Bayern's last game of 2025 against Heidenheim. Instead, they're planning for him to return in January so he can get back into shape without pressure. They expect him to be a key player from February on, when the games get more important.
JAMAL MUSIALA RISKING WORLD CUP SPOT FOLLOWING LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE INJURY SETBACK
Jamal Musiala faces a race against time to be fit for Germany and Bayern Munich after a recurring leg injury flare-up.
Watching Gianluigi Donnarumma crash into Jamal Musiala’s ankle was tough. His ankle twisted horribly, and just like that, Bayern Munich lost one of its brightest stars for the first half of the season. When Musiala finally made his comeback in January against Rasenballsport Leipzig, grabbing an assist almost immediately, it felt like a breath of fresh air. He didn’t stop there; soon after, he started his first game post-injury versus PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, and, like clockwork, he found the net.
But that Leipzig match was over two months ago, and things haven’t been smooth sailing since. Musiala has only started two more games. Then, during the Champions League tie against Atalanta Bergamo, pain flared up in his leg again. Now, he’s at risk of missing both Germany’s last international break before the World Cup and some of Bayern’s most critical matches from March through April.
Everyone’s feeling the frustration – fans, coaches, you name it. All eyes are on when Bayern’s number 10 will finally be back to full speed for club and country. Both Bayern’s head coach, Vincent Kompany and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann need to figure out how to navigate Musiala’s recovery during the international break.
Someone asked Kompany about all this before the second Atalanta leg. He said:
"I’ll call Julian Nagelsmann at some point; I haven’t done it yet, so, just to be clear, we haven’t spoken," Kompany said, "We’re on the same page here: we both want a fully fit Jamal Musiala. If he’s in top shape for Bayern, he’ll be in top shape for Germany. He’ll get back to his best; it’s just a matter of time. We have the same priorities."
Sure, their interests are aligned, but the timing isn’t. Kompany wants Musiala in the lineup immediately, while Nagelsmann’s likely playing it safe, not in any rush to throw him back in. In the end, everything comes down to getting Musiala fully fit and firing again. After the year he’s had, he deserves it. So does everyone, hoping to see him at his best.
LUIS DIAZ SUSPENSION UPHELD BY DFB COURT FOLLOWING CONTROVERSIAL LEVERKUSEN RED CARD
Luis Diaz will serve a one-match ban after the DFB court rejected Bayern Munich's appeal against his Leverkusen red card.
Bayern Munich’s effort to have Luis Diaz’s red card overturned has fallen short, even after the referee admitted his decision was mistaken. Diaz was sent off for what was initially called a dive during the 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen. Replays, however, showed there was definite contact between Diaz and the goalkeeper. Despite this, the DFB sports court ruled that the one-match suspension must be upheld, adding to Bayern’s growing squad problems.
The referee himself acknowledged the punishment was harsh. Diaz had scored Bayern’s only goal before being shown a second yellow, which led to his dismissal. The second booking was given for an alleged dive in the box. But post-match footage clearly showed some contact with Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich. Christian Dingert, the referee, later admitted in an interview that the second yellow was too harsh and that, seeing the replays, he wouldn’t have made that call again.
Bayern acted quickly to appeal the ban, banking on Dingert’s admission to get it rescinded. That didn’t happen. The DFB’s sports court decided the referee’s comments after the match weren’t enough to overturn the original decision made on the field. Court chairman Stephan Oberholz explained that the incident didn’t meet the strict standard needed for a retroactive change. He also pointed out that Diaz had actively sought contact with the goalkeeper, so the card wasn’t entirely unjustified.
The DFB clarified their position in detail, stressing that referees’ decisions hold unless they are clearly and obviously wrong. Oberholz made it clear that for an appeal to succeed, the original decision has to be seriously flawed, which this was not. In his ruling, he said that since the incident was classified as a factual decision, it could only be overturned if it was indisputably incorrect, and they did not find that to be the case. As a result, Diaz will have to sit out Bayern’s next match against Union Berlin.
This absence worsens an already tricky situation for Bayern manager Vincent Kompany. Diaz’s suspension comes amid injury concerns for other key players. After a demanding Champions League win over Atalanta last week, Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala were already sidelined for the Leverkusen game due to injuries picked up in Europe. Bayern’s squad depth will be tested even further as they navigate a packed fixture list.
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