Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has revealed the club received written clearance from neurologists for Jamal Musiala to play before the attacker collapsed on the pitch for the second time in four days.
The 23-year-old Germany international fell to the ground during a pre-season friendly against Heidenheim on Tuesday, shortly after a similar episode against fellow Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
Musiala confirmed on Tuesday evening that he is receiving treatment for a neurological dysfunction that has caused the on-pitch collapses.
Hoeness said the club had sought medical confirmation to ensure Musiala could safely participate in high-performance sports, adding that the recurrence of the seizures left him speechless.
Pre-season collapses
Musiala first collapsed on Saturday during Bayern's 3-1 friendly victory over RB Leipzig, which was played in sweltering heat.
Footage showed the attacker looking disorientated while waiting for the match to restart after he had scored. Teammate Ismael Saibari sprinted over to catch him before he hit the ground.
The second incident occurred on Tuesday during Bayern's 4-2 friendly win over Heidenheim. Musiala fell just six minutes after coming off the bench.
England captain Harry Kane, 33, was one of the first players to react. He gestured to his teammates to form a protective shield around Musiala for his privacy, and was seen waving his arm to gather more players for the barrier.
The German attacker received medical treatment on the pitch. He appeared dazed and had to be supported as he walked off, with Cassiano Kiala replacing him in the 61st minute.
Medical clearance
Speaking to Sky and RTL on Wednesday, Hoeness confirmed that Bayern and Musiala had reached an agreement after the Leipzig match that the player would go public with his condition if he suffered another collapse.
Hoeness explained that the club was already aware of Musiala's condition and had consulted with medical professionals.
"We've been aware of the problems for some time now. Against Leipzig, it happened for the first time on the pitch, and it was visible to everyone," Hoeness said.
"At that point, we thought, 'If it doesn't happen again so quickly, then the medication he's taking will help.' But when it happened again four days later, in the same way, it completely floored me."
Hoeness admitted the situation was a tragedy for the player and said the second collapse was unexpected.
"I was speechless, which is rare for me. We were expecting everything but this recurrence of these problems. It's a tragedy, especially for Jamal," he said.
"We've already taken some precautions. 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.
"Without that, we would have been acting negligently. Since we received this written confirmation, we've been sleeping a bit more soundly. But to be honest, I'm speechless and without a real solution."
Club support
Hoeness added that Bayern Munich have offered Musiala their unconditional support as they look for a way to manage his situation.
"There have been occasional indications and one or two problems, but these never occurred within our club," Hoeness said.
"I don't know if it ever happened in training. Our people rightly keep that confidential. But now, with these two incidents, it is of course a problem. Primarily for Jamal as a person.
"I go to bed thinking about him and wake up thinking about him. But of course, in the medium term, it's also a problem for the club, because we are pretty much speechless at the moment.
"We couldn't have prepared for this, and we first have to learn how to deal with this situation."
Absence seizures
Musiala provided a full update to fans regarding his diagnosis in an Instagram post on Tuesday night.
"First things first, I am doing well. I am incredibly grateful for your messages and your support!" Musiala wrote.
"I understand that many of you are worried. I would like to put those concerns to rest today and explain the situation: I have been diagnosed with brief, temporary - but treatable - absence seizures resulting from a neurological dysfunction.
"These can lead to the kind of incidents seen recently, such as during the match against Leipzig or the game in Heidenheim."
The attacker reassured supporters that the seizures are manageable and that he is not risking his long-term health by continuing to play.
"I know they might look alarming at first glance, but for me, they are currently part of my everyday life. I am receiving excellent medical care and remain very optimistic. FC Bayern and my personal support network are right by my side, helping me through this," he added.
"Importantly, there is no further health risk involved. In close consultation and regular contact with the experts, it was my personal wish to face this challenge; with the medical clearance of the neurologists, I want to continue doing what helps my recovery most: simply living my life and pursuing my passion for playing football.
"I have taken full responsibility for this decision. Overall, I feel very positive and am on the right track."
Musiala concluded by asking for privacy while thanking fans for their backing.
"What helps me most on this journey is continuing to chase victories and titles with my team and with your amazing support," he said.
"I hope this helps you understand the situation better. At the same time, I ask for your understanding regarding my wish to keep this matter private, sharing it only with my closest circle, the club, and the medical experts."
