Musiala Celebrates His Return to Bayern: Eberl Reveals What Sealed the Deal | OneFootball

Jamal Musiala is back on the field. After dealing with health issues during preseason and missing three competitive matches, the 23-year-old made his comeback in FC Bayern’s away Bundesliga match at Schalke. After the game, sporting director Max Eberl explained how the decision to bring him back was made.

In Gelsenkirchen, Musiala was named to Munich’s matchday roster for the first time this season. The national team player started the game on the bench. In the 57th minute, the moment finally arrived: Vincent Kompany brought Musiala into the game to replace Lennart Karl.

This marked the end of a difficult period for the attacking star. During preseason, Musiala had collapsed on the field in both friendly matches against RB Leipzig and 1. FC Heidenheim. As a result, Bayern initially took him out of match action.

Eberl Explains Decision to Bring Musiala Back

After the match at Schalke, Eberl provided insight into how Bayern handled the situation. Ultimately, he said, the decision to bring him back wasn’t a complicated one. “It wasn’t a big decision-making process at all. After the incidents, we gave him the rest he needed. His medication was adjusted,” explained the sporting director.

Before his return, club officials consulted with the treating physicians, the coaching staff, and Musiala himself. Once everyone had given the green light, nothing stood in the way of his return to the roster.

Even before the match, Kompany had stated that Musiala had had a good week of training. Nevertheless, the Munich club wanted to wait for the final training sessions and avoid taking any unnecessary risks.

Eberl was pleased with his first impressions after Musiala came on as a substitute. The 23-year-old’s time on the field had been “very, very positive.” One play in particular caught the Bayern boss’s eye: Eberl raved about “a brilliant pass to Michael Olise.”

Bayern plans to ease Musiala into the team gradually

Photo: Getty Images

Musiala had missed the first three competitive matches of the new season due to health issues. He was not part of the squad for the Super Cup against Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga opener against VfB Stuttgart, or the DFB Cup match in Osnabrück.

Musiala is prone to so-called absences. Bayern had repeatedly emphasized recently that the national team player is under close medical supervision and that they would give him the time he needs to return.

Before the match at Schalke, Kompany also pointed out that the club’s officials now know how to handle a potential recurrence of this situation. “Even if it were to happen on one of the 40, 50, or 60 matchdays, it wouldn’t be a major cause for alarm for us anymore,” explained the Bayern coach.

For Musiala, after the difficult past few weeks, the focus is now first and foremost on his return to competition. His first 33 minutes at Schalke were an important step toward that goal.

The fact that Eberl spoke of a “very, very positive” impression immediately after the comeback is likely to give Musiala himself a boost of confidence. Now Bayern wants to gradually bring its star forward back up to full workload.