Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has backed Jamal Musiala to overcome his latest injury setback after the Germany international suffered a muscle tear while on international duty.
The 23-year-old sustained what Bayern have described as a “minor” muscle tear while warming up for Germany’s Nations League clash against the Netherlands on September 24.
It represents another frustrating setback for Musiala, who has already missed three of Bayern’s opening seven matches this season following a difficult pre-season.
Speaking ahead of Bayern’s Bundesliga clash with Augsburg on Saturday, Kompany expressed his sympathy for Musiala and drew comparisons with his own experiences as a player.
“I can relate to his story of setbacks,” Kompany said.
“I’ve experienced that often in my own career. Coming back from that is a great strength.
“I hope he can enjoy playing football again in the coming years, and I believe he will. Once you learn how to come back from moments like these, you carry that ability with you for the rest of your life.
“In every situation, he knows how to fight his way back and he always comes back.
“We’ve seen how happy the team and fans are when he scores a goal. We’ll experience those moments again.”
Bayern looking to maintain unbeaten Bundesliga start
Bayern return from the international break aiming to extend their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season.
Kompany’s side have won six of their opening seven league matches, with a goalless draw against Schalke last month preventing them from maintaining a perfect record.
Their next opponents, Augsburg, have endured a more difficult spell after beginning the campaign strongly.
They have conceded six goals across their last three matches, but Kompany is refusing to underestimate a side that caused Bayern problems last season.
Augsburg were the only team to defeat Bayern in the Bundesliga during the previous campaign, securing a 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena in January.
“It’s a very important game,” Kompany said.
“We lost a Bundesliga match last year, against Augsburg. It’s still a derby and it’s an away game.
“Augsburg are known for their compact formation and their ability to be very dangerous on the ball.
“They have a lot of individual quality. They have more than people sometimes realise.
“They’ve started the season with momentum. It’s still a derby, the fans are looking forward to it, and so are we.”
You Should Also Read
