Musiala suffers serious injury during Club World Cup quarter-final clash against PSG

ATLANTA: Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala suffered a suspected broken ankle during the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain here at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.

The German international sustained the injury during stoppage time in the first half after a collision in PSG’s penalty area.

Musiala initially challenged defender William Pacho for the ball, but it was PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who inadvertently caused the injury. Donnarumma accidentally twisted Musiala’s left ankle at an awkward angle while attempting to intervene, resulting in the serious-looking injury.

The medical staff rushed onto the pitch immediately, while Donnarumma dropped to the ground with his hands on his head, visibly distraught. Players from both teams formed a circle around the 21-year-old midfielder, who was eventually stretchered off the field.

Bayern manager Vincent Kompany gave a concerning update after the match, confirming that Musiala had been taken to the hospital.

“He has had to go to the hospital. It didn’t look good. The overwhelming feeling is hopefully, it’s not as bad as it looks and he gets through this one,” Kompany said.

German football expert Raphael Honigstein noted that the injury had a clear psychological impact on Bayern Munich's performance.

“The Bayern Munich players were visibly rattled. You could see it took them some time, coming out after halftime, to readjust and find their focus again,” Honigstein said.

“He’s such an important player for Bayern. It’s a huge blow for him personally and for the club. He’ll likely be out for a few months at least.”

Referee Anthony Taylor decided to bring the first half to an early end following the incident. At the time, the score was level at 0–0.