Bayern Munich's honorary president, Uli Hoeness, revealed that neurologists provided written confirmation that player Jamal Musiala was cleared to play, stating he was "speechless" after the 23-year-old collapsed twice on the pitch within a four-day span. Musiala disclosed on Tuesday that he is receiving treatment for a "neurological dysfunction" that has caused the episodes.
The midfielder experienced his first collapse during Bayern's 3-1 friendly victory over RB Leipzig in hot conditions on Saturday. Shortly after scoring, footage showed Musiala appearing disoriented before being caught by a teammate as he fell. He received medical attention and was substituted.
Four days later, on Tuesday, Musiala collapsed again just six minutes after entering the field during a pre-season friendly against Heidenheim. His teammates quickly formed a protective circle around him. He was dazed and required assistance to leave the pitch.
Following the second incident, Musiala shared a statement on Instagram, explaining he had been diagnosed with "brief, temporary - but treatable - absence seizures resulting from a neurological dysfunction." He reassured fans that he was receiving excellent medical care, remained optimistic, and that FC Bayern and his support network were assisting him. Musiala emphasized that there was "no further health risk involved" and that it was his personal wish to continue playing football, with medical clearance, as it aids his recovery. He stated he had taken full responsibility for this decision.
Hoeness confirmed that the club had been aware of Musiala's condition prior to the Leipzig match. "We've been aware of the problems for some time now," Hoeness told Sky and RTL on Wednesday. He added that after the first incident, an agreement was made for Musiala to go public if a similar event occurred. "But when it happened again four days later, in the same way, it completely floored me," Hoeness admitted. "I was speechless, which is rare for me."
Hoeness stressed the importance of the medical confirmation. "The treating physicians, the neurologists, gave us written confirmation, because it was absolutely essential for us that, from their perspective, there were no concerns about Jamal participating in high-performance sports," he said. "Without that, we would have been acting negligently. Since we received this written confirmation, we've been sleeping a bit more soundly."
Bayern Munich has offered Musiala their "unconditional support" and is working to manage the situation. Hoeness described the recurrence of the problem as a "tragedy, especially for Jamal," and acknowledged that while he and the club are concerned about Jamal personally, it also presents a medium-term challenge for the club. "We couldn't have prepared for this, and we first have to learn how to deal with this situation," he stated. Musiala expressed hope that his explanation would help fans understand and requested privacy regarding the matter, sharing it only with his closest circle, the club, and medical experts. He stated that continuing to chase victories and titles with his team, with fan support, helps him most on his journey. He is expected to potentially return to playing this weekend.