For Musiala, this isn’t just another injury, It’s one of those moments that can change a season not just for the player, but for the club and the fans too.
Jamal Musiala finally made his way back onto the pitch after more than two months out, only for everything to come crashing down again in brutal fashion.
The 21-year-old German star was handed a start against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-final a match he was clearly desperate to play in.
Bayern fans were excited to see him back. He’d been sorely missed. But it didn’t even take half an hour before disaster struck.
In the first half, Musiala chased a loose ball in the box nothing unusual. PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma rushed out to claim it. But as he went for the ball, he ended up crashing into Musiala by accident.
Donnarumma’s body landed badly on Musiala’s leg, and almost immediately, you could hear him screaming in pain. No need for slow motion to see this one was serious. He wasn’t getting back up.
A Horrible Blow
Reports coming out of Germany, including from Bild and Sport1, say Musiala might’ve fractured his fibula a small bone in the lower leg that takes a long time to heal. If that’s the case, he could be out for months.
That would likely rule him out for a big chunk of the first half of the Bundesliga season, and maybe even delay his return to the national team before Euro 2026 starts to take shape.
It’s just another setback for him. He had already had injury problems this year, and now this right when it seemed like he was finally getting back into rhythm.
You could feel it in the stadium too. Everyone went quiet. His teammates looked stunned, you didn’t need commentary to tell you how bad it hit them. His teammates looked pained.
The energy on the pitch just dropped after he went down. You didn’t need words their faces said it all. Thomas Müller looked visibly shaken. Even the PSG players looked uneasy. This wasn’t just a knock or a pulled muscle this was something worse.
Blame Game: Neuer vs. Donnarumma
After the game, Bayern captain Manuel Neuer didn’t hide how he felt. He blamed Donnarumma, saying the PSG keeper didn’t have to come out that hard.
“That kind of dive, that kind of challenge, it wasn’t necessary,” Neuer reportedly told Sky Germany after the match. “We lost a key player because of that. It could’ve been avoided.”
You can understand Neuer’s frustration. He’s seen firsthand how important Musiala is to Bayern. They’re a different team with him more creative, more unpredictable. Losing him again, and like this, must feel like a gut punch.
But not everyone agrees with Neuer’s take especially not Thibaut Courtois.
Courtois Comes to Donnarumma’s Defence
Speaking after Real Madrid’s wild 3–2 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-final, Courtois was asked about the incident.
The Belgian goalkeeper knows what it’s like to be in Donnarumma’s shoes to rush out, to try and make yourself big, to risk getting hurt or hurting someone.
“Blaming Donnarumma for the injury seems excessive to me,” Courtois told Mundo Deportivo. “Goalkeepers go for the ball that’s our job. Same way a striker doesn’t stop to think if we are going to get hit on face they just go for it..”
It’s a fair point. Football is fast. Things happen in split seconds. Goalkeepers make hundreds of those dives every season.
Most of the time, nothing goes wrong. But sometimes, accidents happen. And this was clearly one of those moments.
Courtois didn’t stop there.
“It’s very bad luck that the action ended like this,” he added. “He jumped for the ball, Musiala turned his foot, and it got stuck underneath. It wasn’t malicious.
Donnarumma will feel terrible, trust me. As a teammate, I know how much that eats you up.”
“It Could’ve Been Any Keeper”
It’s true. If you look at the replay and many fans have, from every angle there’s no sense that Donnarumma went in recklessly. He didn’t lunge in with his studs. He didn’t dive late. He went for the ball, arms first, like every keeper is trained to do.
But Musiala’s foot just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. A split-second twist, and that was it.
A lot of fans online both Bayern and neutral have echoed Courtois’s view. On X , football fans debated the incident all night.
“Donnarumma’s not at fault. Musiala got unlucky. Could’ve been any keeper,” one user posted.
Another fan replied:
“It hurts to watch, but this is football. Accidents happen. Just pray Musiala recovers fast. Such a talent.”
That’s really the key message: Musiala didn’t deserve this, but there’s no villain here either. Just a heartbreaking accident.
Musiala’s Season in Suspense
For Bayern, this couldn’t have come at a worse time. They’re still in the middle of trying to win trophies both in Germany and in Europe and now they’ve lost one of their most important players again. And Musiala is central to their plans not just tactically, but emotionally too. He’s become a face of the club, especially after several high-profile exits.
Julian Nagelsmann, now Germany's head coach, has also been building around him. If Musiala misses months, it changes a lot for Die Mannschaft heading into Euro 2026.
Former Bayern legend Lothar Matthäus said on Sky Germany:
“He’s irreplaceable. He’s the one who gives Bayern something extra. You can’t replace that just by moving someone else into the midfield.”
And that’s the real worry. Bayern have depth players like Goretzka, Musiala, and Kimmich when fit but they don’t have another player quite like Jamal.
He dribbles pass defenders, opens spaces others don’t even see. Losing him isn't just a tactical blow, it’s a psychological one too.
The Donnarumma Side of the Story
Donnarumma hasn’t spoken publicly yet, but sources close to PSG say he’s “deeply shaken” by what happened. And anyone who knows football will believe that Keepers don’t want to injure players. It’s the kind of thing no player ever wants to be part of.
You’re just out there doing your job, then suddenly you’re on top of someone and they’re yelling in pain. It happens so fast, you don’t even realize it till it’s too late. It’s a horrible feeling.
If anything, it just shows how quickly things can go wrong in this game how fragile football really is. One second, you’re back from injury and feeling strong. The next, you’re facing months in rehab again.
A Bit of Football History Repeating?
Older fans might recall a similar moment back in 2005, when Chelsea’s Petr Čech suffered a horrific skull injury after a collision with Reading’s Stephen Hunt. That injury changed Čech’s career he wore a headguard for the rest of it.
Musiala’s injury might not be as serious as that one, but it just shows
even top-level players can break down anytime. Doesn’t matter how fit or fast they are.
And honestly, it kind of reminds you of Marco Reus. That guy was always in form and then boom another injury, usually right before a big tournament. Hopefully Musiala doesn’t end up going through that same crap. Hopefully, Musiala doesn’t end up going through the same thing.
What Happens Next?
For now, Bayern will run more tests and scans to confirm the full extent of the damage. But the early signs aren’t good. It could be a while before we see him dance through a defence again.
Meanwhile, Donnarumma may keep facing questions, but those who understand the game know this wasn’t his fault. It was football fast, dangerous, and sometimes cruel.
Musiala’s fans around the world in Germany, in London (where he spent his youth days at Chelsea), and beyond are all hoping for one thing: a speedy, full recovery.
Because football just feels better when Jamal’s on the pitch.
Got thoughts on the incident? Do you agree with Courtois or Neuer?
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