Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich’s attacking midfielder, underwent successful surgery on Monday following a fibula fracture and ankle dislocation sustained during the Club World Cup quarterfinal against PSG. The injury, caused by a heavy collision with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, is expected to sideline Musiala for approximately 4 to 5 months, with a potential return in November 2025[1][2][3].
The operation was performed in Murnau by the same surgical team that treated Bayern captain Manuel Neuer after his severe leg injury in 2022. Musiala’s injury is notably complex due to damage to the ligaments in his left ankle in addition to the broken fibula[1].
Manuel Neuer publicly criticized Donnarumma’s challenge as unnecessarily risky, emphasizing the severity of the injury and the impact on Musiala and Bayern’s squad. Neuer personally encouraged Donnarumma to visit Musiala in the hospital as a gesture of sportsmanship[2].
This injury represents a significant setback for Bayern, depriving them of a key creative figure who had only recently returned from a previous long-term absence. Bayern’s sporting director highlighted the blow Musiala’s lengthy recovery poses to the team’s dynamics and ambitions for the season[1].
The loss of Musiala could affect Bayern’s attacking fluidity and squad rotation as the Bundesliga and Champions League campaigns progress through the autumn[1][2].