New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) FC Bayern Munich have confirmed that midfielder Jamal Musiala will be out for a long time after examinations by the German champions’ doctors revealed that the attacking midfielder sustained a fracture of the fibula associated with a broken and dislocated ankle. The 22-year-old flew from Orlando to Munich on Sunday morning and will undergo surgery soon.

The 22-year-old suffered a serious injury during the Club World Cup quarter-final between FC Bayern and Paris Saint-Germain in the USA and had to be substituted at half-time.

Max Eberl, FC Bayern board member for sport claimed the injury ‘hits’ FC Bayern as a club and offered support to the young footballer.

“This serious injury and the lengthy lay-off are a real shock for Jamal and us all. This hits FC Bayern. Everyone knows how immensely important Jamal is for our game and what a central role he has in our team. Furthermore, there’s also a huge human impact and we all feel for him: Jamal has just come back from an injury and will now be out for another long period. He’ll get everything he needs from us. We’ll support him intensively, be by his side and already look forward to when he’s back on the pitch,” read the statement by Eberl.

Saturday’s game also marked Thomas Muller’s storied Bayern Munich career reaching a quiet end at the FIFA Club World Cup, with the veteran forward choosing to sidestep farewell fanfare in the wake of teammate Jamal Musiala’s devastating injury.

The 35-year-old, who has made 756 appearances in Bayern colors, had hinted in recent days that he was ready to walk away from the only club he’s ever known.

Muller had reportedly hoped to extend his Bayern deal, but the club declined, prompting speculation about a move to Major League Soccer. An offer from Los Angeles FC is said to be on the table, though Muller remains noncommittal as reported by Xinhua.

Across his career, Muller won 13 Bundesliga titles and six German Cups with Bayern, scoring 250 goals and providing 283 assists along the way. He is the top German scorer in UEFA Champions League history, with 57 goals in the competition.

–IANS

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