Bayern Munich Midfielder Jamal Musiala Badly Injures His Leg Against PSG at Club World Cup

Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Quarter Final - Paris St Germain v Bayern Munich - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 5, 2025 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala sustains an injury after a collision with Paris St Germain's Gianluigi Donnarumma. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Quarter Final - Paris St Germain v Bayern Munich - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 5, 2025 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala sustains an injury after a collision with Paris St Germain's Gianluigi Donnarumma. (Reuters)
TT

Bayern Munich Midfielder Jamal Musiala Badly Injures His Leg Against PSG at Club World Cup

Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Quarter Final - Paris St Germain v Bayern Munich - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 5, 2025 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala sustains an injury after a collision with Paris St Germain's Gianluigi Donnarumma. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Quarter Final - Paris St Germain v Bayern Munich - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 5, 2025 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala sustains an injury after a collision with Paris St Germain's Gianluigi Donnarumma. (Reuters)

Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala badly injured his left leg and was forced to leave his team's match against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday in the Club World Cup quarterfinals.

Musiala was hurt late in the first half following a 50-50 challenge with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The replay of the gruesome injury was not shown on the big screens at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

PSG went on to win the match 2-0.

The injury came in Musiala's first start for Bayern in three months following a hamstring injury in April.

“I believe the boy has really had a tough few months behind him and he has pushed through well,” Bayern forward Thomas Müller said. “We all keep our fingers crossed.”

The 22-year-old Musiala, who also plays for Germany's national team, entered Saturday’s match with three goals in the tournament — one behind golden boot leaders Ángel Di María and Marcos Leonardo. His Club World Cup goals brought his tally to 21 this season, including 12 in the Bundesliga and three in the Champions League.

Musiala’s injury came just before halftime. The referee whistled for the break as the midfielder received treatment on the field. Serge Gnabry replaced him in the lineup to begin the second half with the score 0-0.

“I want to send a small message to him,” PSG defender Achraf Hakimi said. “We support him, and we want to see him back soon on the pitch because he's a great player.”

Musiala is a rising star, earning Player of the Year honors for the German national team in 2024. He was also runner-up for the Golden Boy award in 2023, which is awarded to Europe’s brightest under-21 talent.

Musiala debuted for Bayern Munich in 2020 when he was 17, becoming the team’s youngest ever player at the time of his debut. In 2022, he became the first teenager to appear for the German national team at a World Cup since 1958.

Because of the injury, Bayern may have to start next season without Musiala. The German club lost out on Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz to Liverpool in the transfer market, leaving Bayern short in the attacking midfield position.



Bayern Faces Tough Leverkusen Test in Bundesliga after 6-1 Win and Injury Concerns

Bayern Munich's players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 1st leg soccer match between Atalanta BC and FC Bayern Munich at the Bergamo Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, 10 March 2026.  EPA/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA
Bayern Munich's players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 1st leg soccer match between Atalanta BC and FC Bayern Munich at the Bergamo Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, 10 March 2026. EPA/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA
TT

Bayern Faces Tough Leverkusen Test in Bundesliga after 6-1 Win and Injury Concerns

Bayern Munich's players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 1st leg soccer match between Atalanta BC and FC Bayern Munich at the Bergamo Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, 10 March 2026.  EPA/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA
Bayern Munich's players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 1st leg soccer match between Atalanta BC and FC Bayern Munich at the Bergamo Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, 10 March 2026. EPA/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA

Bayern Munich is heading to Bayern Leverkusen in the Bundesliga after contrasting Champions League games in midweek for the two clubs.

Bayern was on rampant form in a 6-1 win at Atalanta overshadowed by injuries in the first leg of their round of 16 matchup, while Leverkusen had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Premier League leader Arsenal which kept its hopes alive.

Bayern leads the Bundesliga by 11 points with nine games remaining, The Associated Press reported.

Key matchups There aren't many tricky away trips for Bayern in the Bundesliga these days, but Leverkusen is one of them. Bayern hasn't won there in the league since October 2021, though Vincent Kompany's team did get a victory in a Champions League playoff last year.

Hoffenheim is flying high in third, which would be its best finish since Julian Nagelsmann coached the team in 2017-18. Saturday's opponent Wolfsburg is having a nightmarish campaign in the relegation zone as Dieter Hecking becomes the team's third coach of the season.

In a tight Champions League qualification fight, fourth-place Stuttgart is unbeaten in four Bundesliga games as it takes on fifth-place Leipzig, which is unbeaten in five, on Sunday.

Players to watch Deniz Undav has scored in his last four Bundesliga games to take him to 15 goals for the season. Even if he's got half of Kane's tally of Bundesliga goals for Bayern, it's enough for second in the standings. Undav's run of form could help him make his case for a return to the Germany squad in time for the World Cup.

Nico Schlotterbeck could be one of the most in-demand defenders on the transfer market this off-season, with no obvious progress on renewing a Borussia Dortmund contract which expires next year, though a decision to let midfielder Julian Brandt leave might free up some funds. Dortmund plays Augsburg on Sunday.

Who's out Manuel Neuer's return from a calf injury lasted just 45 minutes last week before the Bayern goalkeeping great picked up another calf injury which kept him out of Tuesday's Champions League win at Atalanta. Jonas Urbig stepped in but was hurt in a heavy collision with an opponent, so third-choice Sven Ulreich may start.

Kane has missed two games with a calf issue but is set to return, though Alphonso Davies has pulled a hamstring and Bayern said Jamal Musiala was experiencing pain related to an ankle injury from last year. It wasn't immediately clear how seriously that would affect Musiala.

Off the field Two bizarre disciplinary cases are getting German fans talking. The national soccer federation is investigating Cologne for its announcer making comments over the PA system loudly condemning refereeing decisions that went against the team.

Second-division Preussen Muenster faces a disciplinary case over a masked fan who unplugged the referee's video monitor during a penalty review against the team.


Alonso Fears More Pain in China with Struggling Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP
Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP
TT

Alonso Fears More Pain in China with Struggling Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP
Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP

Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia.

Silverstone-based Aston Martin endured a horror start after serious issues with their Honda power unit and a lack of spare parts, said AFP.

Two-time world champion Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll had to endure extreme vibration in the chassis caused by the power unit, which was feared could cause the drivers permanent nerve damage.

"The situation unfortunately didn't change within four or five days since Melbourne, so it will be a difficult weekend," Alonso told reporters at the Shanghai International Circuit.

"We'll limit the laps in one or two sessions as we are short on parts. We need laps, to find the window on the chassis side.

"I'll be happy if we leave China with a more or less normal practice, more or less normal qualifying."

The Spaniard could not put a timeframe on when improvements might come.

"What can I do within the team? Work harder, help Honda as much as I can," said Alonso.

"We can allocate resources to help Honda with the power unit. We are one team, it is a bumpy start that I hope won't last too long.

"We are pushing, we have very talented people in the team, so I hope within a couple of grands prix, we can have a normal weekend.

"To be competitive will take more time. Once we fix the reliability, we will be behind on power and things."

The 44-year-old veteran has been in Formula One for more than two decades and has driven vastly different iterations of cars from the old V10 petrol engines through to the current complex hybrid configuration.

Despite the issues, he said was embracing the challenge of the new cars enthusiastically in what could be his final season on the grid.

His Aston Martin contract expires at the end of 2026.

"Do we enjoy driving these cars? Yes, because we love racing," Alonso said.

"I do four or five 24-hour races because I love racing and I love driving. So if you jump into an F1 car, you enjoy going fast.

"But it is a challenge, a different challenge.

"I was super lucky to race in (the last) era and I feel lucky to race in both."


Verstappen Jokes New F1 Cars 'More Like Mario Kart'

Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP
Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP
TT

Verstappen Jokes New F1 Cars 'More Like Mario Kart'

Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP
Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said Thursday he was not having much fun driving the new era of Formula One cars, joking he was "practicing with Mario Kart" because it was more realistic than his simulator.

The Red Bull driver crashed in qualifying in the season-opener in Australia last weekend before having to carve his way from 20th on the grid to finish a creditable sixth.

The new cars require battery management and energy harvesting with a 50-50 split between conventional and electrical power, AFP said.

They also have features such as straight-line mode, active aero, overtake and boost buttons, which Verstappen reckons are nearer to a video game.

"I swapped the simulator for my Nintendo Switch. I'm practicing with Mario Kart, actually. Finding the mushrooms is going quite well, the blue shells are a bit more difficult."

Verstappen announced this week that he would be driving in the Nurburgring 24-hour race this year.

"I wish I had a bit more fun for sure," he said of Formula One at the moment.

"I mean, I get to race the Nordschleife (Nurburgring) and I hope in the coming years I can do Spa and hopefully Le Mans.

"So I'm combining stuff and I'm also doing other stuff that is a lot of fun.

"It's a bit conflicted because I don't really enjoy to drive the car, but I do enjoy working with all the people in the team and from the engine department as well."

He did express optimism that things would improve as the new rules and regulations were adjusted and said drivers were already in discussions over changes.

"I hope, of course, that it gets better," said the Dutchman.

"I've had discussions with F1 and the FIA and I think we are working towards something that will improve everything."