Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich squared off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, battling for a spot in the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. But just before halftime, the match took a troubling turn as Bayern’s Jamal Musiala suffered a serious injury that immediately sparked concern from teammates, coaches, and fans alike.
Billed as a potential final ahead of time, the showdown between the French and German giants lived up to expectations early on, delivering a fast-paced, high-quality contest with chances at both ends. Bayern even had a goal by Dayot Upamecano disallowed for offside in the 45+1 minute—just moments before disaster struck.
In the closing moments of the first half, PSG midfielder Michael Olise threaded a ball into the box that was easily covered by defender William Pacho. Musiala pressed to recover possession, but as PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma came off his line to secure the ball, Musiala’s ankle appeared to get caught under the challenge.
Musiala immediately went down in visible pain, prompting swift medical attention. The severity of the injury has not yet been confirmed, but the reaction from Donnarumma as soon as he turned, and both benches indicated it could be significant.
Forced into a change at halftime, Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany brought on Serge Gnabry in Musiala’s place. The German side had already been forced into an earlier substitution after Josip Stanisic exited with a suspected muscle injury, adding to Bayern’s growing list of concerns.
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Video tells the story: Gianluigi Donnarumma’s on-field reaction raises serious fears over Jamal Musiala’s injury at 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
Musiala’s rocky Club World Cup
Touted as one of the brightest young talents in world football at just 22, Musiala’s Club World Cup journey has been anything but smooth. He kicked off the tournament in dominant fashion, netting a hat-trick in Bayern’s 10-0 demolition of Auckland City—joining the short list of players to score three in a single Club World Cup match.
But things quickly turned. Against Boca Juniors in the second game, he came off the bench in the 57th minute only to suffer a muscle injury that forced him out in the 82nd. That knock kept him out of the third group game against Benfica. He returned with a late cameo in the round of 16 win over Flamengo and was finally back in the starting XI against PSG—only to suffer this latest and potentially more severe setback.
