Jamal Musiala has said that the two on-pitch collapses which caused concern during Bayern Munich friendlies were linked to a neurological condition involving absence seizures, which he says are treatable.
The 23-year-old went down during Bayern's win over RB Leipzig and then needed medical attention again after entering the friendly at Heidenheim. He subsequently addressed the incidents publicly, saying he is receiving specialist care, feels optimistic and has been cleared by neurologists to continue his normal life and football career.
Bayern had prior knowledge
According to multiple outlets, Bayern sporting director Max Eberl indicated after the Heidenheim match that the club already knew about the situation and that Musiala would explain it himself. The player’s statement has now provided that explanation after images from both matches prompted understandable alarm.
Reports differ slightly over the precise timing of the second incident after Musiala’s introduction at Heidenheim, with accounts placing it six or eight minutes after he entered. They agree that he appeared disorientated, was treated on the pitch and then assisted from the field.
The earlier episode came late in the match against Leipzig. Musiala had scored before requiring attention and being substituted. Initial discussion around that incident had included the hot conditions in Munich, but his statement made clear that the two episodes were connected to the diagnosed neurological dysfunction rather than simply the weather or exertion.
A carefully framed update
Musiala’s message was measured in its scope. He sought to reassure supporters that the condition does not represent an added health risk, while also asking that the matter remain private beyond his close circle, Bayern and the medical professionals involved.
That distinction matters. The player has not presented the situation as an ordinary knock or a routine muscular problem. Nor has he suggested that it should be ignored. Instead, he has said the decision to remain active was made in consultation with specialists, with medical approval, and that playing football is part of the everyday routine he believes supports his recovery.
Bayern's handling will consequently remain guided by medical advice rather than by the normal urgency attached to a pre-season fitness concern. The club has public confirmation that the issue is being monitored, but it also has a player making clear that he wants to retain as much normality as possible.
Leipzig context and pre-season form
For RB Leipzig, the match is now chiefly remembered as the setting for Musiala's first collapse, rather than solely as a 3-1 Bayern friendly victory.
Friendlies are often used to manage minutes, test combinations and build conditioning, all of which makes isolated results less definitive than competitive fixtures. In this case, the football narrative was overtaken by the medical incident, then clarified by Musiala himself days later.
Perspective after a difficult injury period
The update also arrives after a demanding recent period for Musiala. BBC reporting noted that he missed the first half of the previous season following the ankle injury sustained at the 2025 Club World Cup, before returning during the second half of that campaign and featuring for Germany at the 2026 World Cup.
That background may explain why supporters reacted strongly to footage of another apparent physical setback. Yet the present issue is distinct from the ankle injury, and Musiala’s own account is the most relevant guidance available: he is under medical supervision, remains positive and intends to continue playing subject to specialist clearance.
The key development is therefore not the two collapses in isolation, but the explanation now attached to them. Musiala has identified a treatable condition, Bayern had awareness of it, and the player has asked for trust in the medical process while maintaining privacy around the details.