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| Back Like He Never Left: Jamal Musiala Scores Again and Sends a Strong Message with Bayern Munich. |
After months of doubt, pain, and recovery, Jamal Musiala is smiling again. And when Musiala smiles on the pitch, Bayern Munich usually means business.
Jamal Musiala marked another important step in his comeback as Bayern Munich edged PSV 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League. The young midfielder scored Bayern’s opening goal, his first since returning from a serious injury, and looked more confident with every touch.
Bayern had already secured their place in the round of 16 before kick-off at the Philips Stadion, but Vincent Kompany’s side showed no signs of slowing down. Musiala broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, calmly finishing to put the German giants ahead.
The goal continued Musiala’s upward trend in Europe. He has now scored twice in his last three Champions League matches — the same number of goals he managed across his previous 18 appearances combined. A clear sign that his sharpness is coming back.
PSV responded through Ismael Saibari to level the score, briefly threatening to spoil Bayern’s night. But Bayern still had a trump card on the bench. Harry Kane came on late and delivered once again, scoring the winner just six minutes from time to seal Bayern’s seventh win of the league phase.
For Musiala, the moment meant more than just a goal. It was his first start since recovering from a fractured fibula and a badly damaged ankle suffered at the Club World Cup — an injury that kept him sidelined for months.
“I’m really happy about the goal,” Musiala said after the match. “My mom has already sent me a thousand WhatsApp messages. But more than anything, I’m just happy to be back on the pitch.”
Despite the goal, Musiala was honest about where he’s at physically and mentally.
“My focus is on the next game and continuing to raise my level,” he explained. “At the start of the second half, I kind of forgot how to play football for a moment,” he joked. “But step by step, I’m getting back into it.”
The win also came at the perfect time for Bayern, who were looking to bounce back after a surprise 2-1 loss to Augsburg in the Bundesliga — their first league defeat of the 2025–26 season. Another loss would have marked Kompany’s first back-to-back defeats in all competitions since taking charge.
Statistically, Bayern were the better side. They recorded an expected goals (xG) total of 1.82 from 17 shots, compared to PSV’s 0.69 from 13 attempts, with seven shots forcing goalkeeper Jonas Urbig into action.
“We’ve been consistent for a long time,” Musiala added. “Against Augsburg, we learned what happens when our level drops even a little. Today was an important win. Now the big games are coming, and we need to step it up again.”
Bayern’s performance was even more impressive given the youth on display. Their starting lineup had an average age of just over 24 years, making it their youngest Champions League XI since 2015. Joshua Kimmich, once the young prospect in that era, was now the oldest starter on the night at nearly 31.
Next up, Bayern will face Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, or Olympiacos in the round of 16. With Musiala rediscovering his rhythm and a young squad full of energy, Bayern Munich are starting to look dangerous again — right when it matters most.