Hoeness Says Musiala May Never Regain Former Level After Condition
Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness said Jamal Musiala may never regain his old level after a neurological condition that surfaced in pre-season. Lothar Matthaus called the remarks deliberate needling meant to motivate the 23-year-old, who is back in training.
Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness said on November 9, 2026 that forward Jamal Musiala may never "regain the performance level he once had" after a neurological condition that emerged during pre-season.
Musiala is 23 and plays for Germany. He collapsed twice in four days during pre-season, and it was later revealed he has a treatable "neurological dysfunction".
Hoeness described the situation as a bind for player and club. "We are facing a dilemma in this case, as he is suffering from an illness that cannot simply be cured, but it can be controlled to a certain extent with the use of medication," he said.
Hoeness added that Bayern would support Musiala, who is under contract until 2030.
Matthaus: it is motivation
Lothar Matthaus, a former Bayern and Germany captain, read the comments as a deliberate push rather than a gloomy verdict. He said Hoeness is trying to motivate the player.
"He's needling him a little. It's not just about wrapping him in cotton wool. He also has to battle against adversity sometimes," Matthaus said.
"Uli was looking to create that adversity with this statement," he added. Matthaus said it is fine for Hoeness to speak that way, because people cannot simply put a positive spin on things and wait for the player to return.
"If I were in Jamal Musiala's position, that would be motivation enough to show Uli I'm back," Matthaus said.
Season so far
Musiala has scored two goals in four games for Bayern in all competitions this season. He has not played for the club since suffering a hamstring injury in September.
He has recently returned to training.
Musiala joined Bayern in 2019 after coming through Chelsea's academy. He has scored 71 goals and provided 38 assists in 235 matches for the club since breaking into the team as a 17-year-old.
He is one of the youngest players in Germany's history. At Euro 2024 he shared the Golden Boot as joint leading scorer.
