Jamal Musiala's Time to Shine at Bayern: No More Excuses

Lothar Matthäus has never been one for soft landings. Not for himself, not for Bayern, and certainly not for Jamal Musiala.

As Bayern gear up for a new campaign under Vincent Kompany, the Germany legend has fired a clear warning in his Sky Sport column: the time for sympathy is over. The time for Musiala to be Bayern’s undisputed jewel in the No.10 role is running out.

No More Hiding Behind the Injury

Musiala’s story over the last year has been brutal. A fractured fibula and dislocated ankle against PSG at the FIFA Club World Cup in July 2025, six months out, and then a cautious, staggered return in early 2026. For a 23-year-old who had been tipped to dominate European football, it was a shuddering halt.

Matthäus acknowledges that road back. He recognises the seriousness of the injury. But he draws a hard line now.

“So what’s next for Jamal Musiala? Eventually, the serious injury he suffered over a year ago will heal. He needs to finally put it behind him. That’s crucial now, otherwise, he’ll likely spend a lot of time off the bench due to the stiff competition.”

That is not a throwaway line. It’s a forecast.

Bayern’s Frontline Is Moving Without Him

The harsh reality for Musiala is that Bayern have not stood still while he recovered. Kompany’s attack has begun to hum, and the rhythm up front does not automatically revolve around the young playmaker anymore.

Matthäus points straight at the core of the issue: the chemistry.

He highlights the “excellent” understanding between Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry, a partnership that has grown into a natural axis for Bayern’s forward play. Their rotations, their movement, their instinctive reading of each other – this is the kind of fluency that managers trust when the stakes rise.

The danger for Musiala is obvious. When a frontline clicks, it becomes harder to break into, no matter how bright the talent waiting on the fringes.

Margin for Error Shrinking

And it’s not just Kane and Gnabry.

Michael Olise offers another creative outlet, capable of drifting into central spaces and threading passes in the final third. Youngster Lennart Karl is also in the frame for the No.10 role, adding yet another competitor in the most glamorous – and unforgiving – position on the pitch.

“Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane have shown excellent chemistry in their rotations. We also know that Olise and Karl can play in the number 10 role. Kompany will find the right mix again. Musiala showed promise at the end of the season at Bayern, and there were also promising signs at the World Cup. But there are no more excuses.”

That last sentence hangs in the air. No more excuses.

Matthäus is not dismissing Musiala’s talent. On the contrary, he references the strong flashes at the end of Bayern’s season and his encouraging performances at the World Cup. The point is that promise alone is no longer enough. Not in this Bayern side, not with this level of competition, and not under a coach who has already shown he will rotate ruthlessly to find the right formula.

Pre-Season as a Proving Ground

Musiala’s summer has not been completely straightforward either. In July 2026 he underwent a minor procedure to remove a metal stabilisation plate, another small but necessary step in finally closing the chapter on that PSG injury.

Now comes the crucial part: rebuilding match fitness through pre-season, not as a protected asset but as a player under pressure to justify his place in Kompany’s XI.

This is the window where reputations harden or fade. A sharp, fearless Musiala can remind everyone why he was once seen as the future of Bayern’s attack. A hesitant, rusty one risks becoming a luxury option off the bench.

The fixtures waiting at the start of the season leave little room for easing in. Bayern are defending their Bundesliga title and plotting another assault on the Champions League after falling in the semi-finals to back-to-back champions PSG last term. Every early performance will be weighed, every selection scrutinised.

Kompany’s Dilemma – and Musiala’s Challenge

For Kompany, the task is delicate but simple to define: find the attacking blend that can dominate domestically and finally clear that Champions League hurdle. With Kane as the focal point, Gnabry’s sharpness, Olise’s craft, Karl’s emergence, and Musiala’s flair, he has options that most coaches would envy.

But options also mean casualties.

Musiala is fighting not just for minutes, but for status. Is he the player Bayern build around in the final third, or is he one of several gifted pieces rotated in and out depending on the opponent?

Matthäus has made his stance plain. The injury chapter is closed. The sympathy period is over. The next few months will decide whether Jamal Musiala becomes the heartbeat of Kompany’s Bayern – or just another talent squeezed to the margins by a machine that keeps moving without him.