There’s some relief for Bayern Munich and Germany supporters as Jamal Musiala has successfully undergone surgery and is now beginning his recovery journey following a serious injury.
The 22-year-old sustained the injury after an awkward clash with Gianluigi Donnarumma during Bayern’s 2-0 Club World Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The collision resulted in a fractured fibula, a dislocated ankle, and significant ligament damage in his leg and foot. Musiala is expected to be sidelined for approximately four to five months.
In the wake of the incident, Bayern captain Manuel Neuer voiced strong criticism toward Donnarumma—not only for his involvement in the collision but also for failing to stay by Musiala’s side after the injury occurred.
He said: “I went up to him and said, ‘Don’t you want to go over to our player?’ It’s only right to go over and wish the guy well. He did that in the end. Fairness is always important … I would have reacted differently.”
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois came to Gianluigi Donnarumma’s defence, describing the incident as unfortunate rather than intentional, suggesting it was simply a case of bad luck.
Jamal Musiala has now broken his silence and shared his perspective for the first time since the injury.
In a video posted on his Instagram, Musiala confirmed that his surgery was successful. He also made it clear that he holds no resentment toward Donnarumma, stating that the goalkeeper was not at fault for what happened.
“The surgery went really well. I’m in good care. And I wanted to say that there’s no one to blame for this. I think situations like this happen.
“Now I’m just going to use the next period of time to build up my strength and positivity again. I’m looking forward to seeing you guys again.”
How Donnarumma Feels About Musiala’s Injury
Although Manuel Neuer was critical of Donnarumma, it was evident at the time that the Italian goalkeeper was deeply affected by the incident—he was even seen in tears during the half-time break. Donnarumma later released a brief statement expressing his remorse, saying: “I’m shaken by what happened. It was never my intention to hurt Musiala.”
His agent, Enzo Raiola, later offered further clarification, explaining that Donnarumma stepped away from Musiala to allow medical staff to provide him with the best possible care. Raiola elaborated in a full statement:
“He didn’t want to pretend that nothing had happened. Gigio is a very sensitive person.
“He couldn’t bear to stay there and preferred to walk away so the doctors could give Musiala the best care. Once in the locker room, he even turned on his phone. Usually, he turns it off one hour before kick-off to only focus on the match and switches it back on after the game. This time, he messaged me to say he was shaken and that it wasn’t intentional.”
Based on Musiala’s comments, it’s clear he holds no hard feelings and isn’t dwelling on the incident. The biggest positive at this stage is that his surgery went smoothly, and the focus now shifts to his recovery—with hopes that he’ll return to the pitch before the end of 2025, just in time to prepare for the World Cup the following summer.
