Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Max Eberl, firmly believes that international player Jamal Musiala will return to his best form before the World Cup.
“We’re giving him peace and trust, showing him we’re calm, so he can clear his head,” Eberl said in an interview with the Münchner Merkur/tz: “And when he creates another golden moment soon, as soon as he comes on, the injury will be forgotten in the blink of an eye.”
The fibula fracture and ankle dislocation that Musiala (23) suffered at the Club World Cup last summer were “a massive blow”, said Eberl: “We knew that the recovery process would take time. It requires this time, both physically and mentally, even if it feels like an eternity.” The “minor setback against Bergamo” is part of the process, “it goes up and down in waves,” said Eberl.
Musiala had made his comeback in January, but most recently missed the German national team’s World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Ghana. However, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is not yet worried about the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada (11 June to 19 July). “He doesn’t have that much time left, there’s no question about that,” Nagelsmann admitted, but added: “I’m confident he’ll get back to 100 per cent.”
Eberl also said: “The important thing is that Jamal himself wants to get back to 100 per cent. He’s getting more and more excited too; he puts the most pressure on himself.” Musiala wants “to perform well, to show his abilities – so that he can help us first and then German football at the World Cup. He has enough time for that.”
On Monday, following his brief enforced break due to “pain” in his ankle, Musiala had resumed parts of team training at Bayern Munich and is expected to be an option for the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid (7 and 15 April).
(SID)