No “brilliance” on show against PSG! Vincent Kompany is still awaiting a clear answer from Bayern Munich

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No "brilliance" on show against PSG! Vincent Kompany is still awaiting a clear answer from Bayern Munich

Jamal Musiala appeared to be peaking at the perfect time for Bayern Munich – until two underwhelming performances temporarily derailed his momentum.

Serge Gnabry’s adductor tear was a major blow for FC Bayern; after all, the 30-year-old had enjoyed a remarkable resurgence this season. Stepping in for the long-term injured Jamal Musiala, Gnabry slotted into the starting line-up and performed so well that Musiala was unable to reclaim his place in the starting XI even after recovering from injury at the start of the year. He remained a fixture in the side’s biggest matches until tearing his adductor in mid-April—ending both his season and his World Cup hopes.

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A blessing in disguise: Gnabry’s injury came just as Musiala rediscovered his best form. In March, the playmaker had been sidelined again by ankle trouble, withdrew from the international fixtures, and was told by Oliver Kahn that he might miss the World Cup.

By April, however, the 20-year-old had rediscovered his sharpness, delivering a series of standout displays that underlined his importance to club and country.

FC Bayern: Jamal Musiala was approaching his peak form in April.

In the Bundesliga, he began scoring as a rotation player for Gnabry, who was simply being rested at the time; in the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid, he provided crucial impetus from the bench, and following Gnabry’s injury, he was suddenly back in the starting line-up. Six goals and assists in seven games. Musiala looked determined and fit, whilst his passing became increasingly brilliant and his dribbling more intricate.

“It’s a coincidence that Serge’s injury has happened now, and Jamal isn’t that far off,” manager Vincent Kompany explained at the time. “Physically, he’s very close to his best. Running, pressing, winning tackles – he can do all that now. There’s just one question left: when will that ‘Magic Musiala’ return? That Jamal at his very best. When that total freedom comes back at some point – and it will – then you’ll have a more developed version of Jamal Musiala. And as a manager, I’m looking forward to that.”

Then the football calendar handed Bayern a semi-final clash with PSG—the same side against whom Musiala had broken his fibula during the Club World Cup the previous summer. Against that very team, he returned to the starting XI and instantly became a key figure. The perfect stage for “Magic Musiala” to return. It was shaping up to be one of those tales that, as you’ve probably guessed, can only be written by football.

Max Eberl: “He didn’t quite shine as brightly as the others.”

Max Eberl:

As expected, Musiala started the first leg against PSG, yet he failed to make an impact. The show was stolen by Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz. Despite four goals for Bayern, Musiala managed no shots on target, no assists and only one chance that he unluckily wasted. He completed just 26 passes, second-fewest among the starters, edging out Alphonso Davies, who played 34 minutes less.

The match passed him by, and to some extent that reflected the nature of the contest. The ball ping-ponged mostly along the wings, as if the centre of the park had been mined. Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic in the double-six also chased shadows.

“I didn’t think he was inconspicuous against Paris,” sporting director Max Eberl countered the criticism of Musiala somewhat too kindly, but what else could he say? Malicious tongues might point out: Musiala was conspicuous in the 33rd minute, at least, when he let Joao Neves have his way from a corner, thereby causing the score to go 1-2. “He may not have shone as brightly as the others, but he worked incredibly hard for the team,” added Eberl, quite rightly. Musiala contested 15 challenges—second only to Olise—and won ten.

FC Bayern: Jamal Musiala failed to make an impact against Heidenheim either

Four days after the show in Paris, Bayern Munich hosted 1. FC Heidenheim in a Bundesliga game that mattered little from the hosts’ perspective. Jamal Musiala was one of only four players to keep his place in the starting XI, yet the young playmaker remained largely invisible. “Like the others, he wasn’t 100 per cent in the game,” Eberl remarked after the 3-3 draw. Musiala managed only one tame shot before Kompany replaced him at half-time.

“He’s clocked up some minutes, so I see it as a positive,” said Eberl, adding: “He’ll help us on Wednesday.” In the return leg against PSG, Musiala has a second chance to produce another ‘of all teams’ moment. Despite Leon Goretzka’s brace against Heidenheim, Musiala’s place in the starting line-up remains secure.

admin-cdn2 hours ago

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