Honorary Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeneß questioned Jamal Musiala’s long-term playing capabilities during an appearance on the BR program “Sonntags-Stammtisch,” n-tv.de reported.
The remarks, prompted by a question from ARD business moderator Anja Kohl, have divided the club’s fanbase.
Hoeneß discussed a dilemma facing the club regarding Musiala’s high-earning, long-term contract alongside his recent injury and illness history. He asked whether the player would ever regain his previous performance level, according to n-tv.de. He questioned if the player jemals wieder die Leistungsfähigkeit hat, die er mal hatte.
Stellen Sie sich mal vor, der FC Bayern würde jetzt seinen Vertrag infrage stellen und sagen: Das, was er jetzt leisten kann, ist ja nicht mehr das, was im Vertrag steht,
Hoeneß said during the broadcast, as cited by n-tv.de.
Former national player Lothar Matthäus categorized the statements as open and honest words that might not sit well internally, speaking on Sky90, spox.com reported. Matthäus noted that Hoeneß was not trying to attack the player but rather to provide extra motivation. He acknowledged that while many agree with the economic perspective, others feel the focus should remain on the player’s health and care.
Er stichelt ein bisschen. Es gehört nicht nur dazu, ihn in Watte zu packen, sondern auch mal gegen Widerstände zu kämpfen. Ich glaube, den Widerstand hat Uli durch diese Aussage gesucht,
Matthäus said, according to spox.com.
Matthäus added that the remarks serve as a challenge for Musiala to prove himself upon returning to the pitch, spox.com reported. He noted that the player must now push through the adversity.
Musiala has faced several setbacks following a severe injury sustained during the Club World Cup in the summer of 2025, spox.com reported. He has been sidelined since late September due to a muscle fiber tear. Matthäus suggested the injury may be more severe than initially disclosed, speculating that the prolonged seven-week absence could be due to a secondary tear or a more significant complication.
Uli Hoeneß spoke today about Jamal Musiala's condition: "With Musiala, the situation is completely different [to Vincent Kompany]. We're in a dilemma there. He has an illness that cannot simply be cured, but can be managed to some extent with medication" Hoeneß then left it open… pic.twitter.com/xHS4plX2vr
Medical evaluations during pre-season preparations revealed that the player suffers from a neurological dysfunction causing temporary, manageable absences resembling epileptic seizures, spox.com reported. Musiala has made just four appearances in the current campaign, contributing one goal and one assist in a 7-0 victory against Union Berlin, according to spox.com.
Musiala aims to return to action following the upcoming international break later this month, spox.com reported. FC Köln on November 21.
Whether the board member intentionally used the platform to address this sensitive topic remains unclear. Was Hoeneß damit dann allerdings genau beabsichtigt hat, bleibt vorerst noch sein Geheimnis,
notes n-tv.de.
Und für mich wäre das, wenn ich in Jamal Musialas Situation wäre, Motivation genug, um Uli zu zeigen: Ich bin wieder da,
Matthäus stated regarding the player’s upcoming return, spox.com reported.