Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has revealed that midfielder Jamal Musiala's two recent on-pitch collapses were caused by side effects from a slight change to his medication.
Kompany shared the information with his player's permission ahead of Bayern Munich's German Supercup clash against Borussia Dortmund this weekend. The 23-year-old Germany international experienced the two episodes in the space of four days during pre-season matches against RB Leipzig and Heidenheim.
"He made a slight change to his treatment, which caused some side effects," Kompany said. "It's perfectly normal to make changes to a treatment plan. The initial shock for us was a long time ago. Therefore, we're not talking about it that much at the moment. We've received much more information since then and made decisions with the help of leading experts. Jamal has everyone's support."
Kompany confirmed that Musiala will continue to train individually away from the main squad as Bayern prepare to defend their Bundesliga title. The German Supercup serves as the annual season-opening match in German football, bringing together the reigning league champions and the domestic cup winners.
Neurological condition and seizures
Musiala revealed earlier this week that he is undergoing treatment for neurological dysfunction, a condition that can cause temporary, brief, but easily treatable seizures. Bayern Munich officials were first informed that the playmaker had developed the condition prior to the World Cup.
The first collapse occurred on the pitch during a pre-season match against RB Leipzig played in sweltering temperatures. Four days later, on Tuesday, Musiala collapsed for a second time during a friendly fixture against Heidenheim.
Addressing supporters in a positive social media video posted on Tuesday evening, Musiala explained that his condition caused him to experience absence seizures. An absence seizure is a type of neurological event that can lead to a brief loss of awareness, impacted balance, or reduced responsiveness.
"I know they might look alarming at first glance, but for me, they are currently part of my everyday life," Musiala said in the video message. "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."
The midfielder emphasized that he had taken full responsibility for deciding to continue playing after receiving clearance from medical specialists. "Importantly, there is no further health risk involved," Musiala added. "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."
Medical clearance and club response
Before selecting Musiala for Tuesday's match against Heidenheim, Bayern Munich listened to the advice of neurologists following his initial struggle against RB Leipzig. Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeness disclosed on Wednesday that club hierarchy had monitored the situation closely.
"We've been aware of the problems for some time now," Hoeness explained. "Against Leipzig, it happened for the first time on the pitch, and it was visible to everyone. 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. 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."
Hoeness revealed that treating physicians and neurologists provided formal written authorization before Bayern permitted Musiala to participate in high-performance sports. "We've already taken some precautions," Hoeness said. "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."
Hoeness offered Musiala unconditional support, a position echoed on Friday by Bayern sporting director Max Eberl. Eberl confirmed that squad members and management had been managing the condition throughout the previous campaign. "We've known about it the entire last season," Eberl stated. "The players also knew about it. For us, it's become part of everyday life. We will give him all our support, have already done so, and will continue to do so. We're doing this together."
Teammates protect Musiala on pitch
The distressing nature of the second incident against Heidenheim brought an immediate response from Musiala's team-mates on the pitch. England captain and Bayern striker Harry Kane gestured to fellow players to form a protective ring around the midfielder after he fell to the ground, shielding him from view.
Kane and the rest of the squad remained clustered around Musiala while emergency medical staff treated him on the field. The young playmaker appeared dazed as medical personnel helped him off the pitch and down the tunnel for further evaluation.
Musiala, who joined Bayern Munich from Chelsea in 2019, has developed into one of the premier attacking talents in European football and a key player for the Germany national team. He will remain under specialized medical care while continuing his individual training program ahead of Bayern's upcoming domestic fixtures.
