Bayern Munich’s honorary president did not soften anything on live television. Speaking on Bavarian broadcaster BR’s “Sonntags-Stammtisch” on Sunday evening, Uli Hoeneß described Jamal Musiala’s health as a “dilemma” the club cannot see through, and openly questioned whether the 23-year-old will ever return to the level that made him one of the most coveted players in Europe.

The comments, reported by Goal, were unusual for their bluntness. Honorary presidents do not usually use a Sunday talk show to cast public doubt on a star player’s recovery, let alone float the idea of reopening his contract.

“We are in a dilemma. He has an illness that cannot easily be cured, but can be managed reasonably well with medication,” Hoeneß said.

“But whether he will ever again have the level of performance he once had …”

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He did not finish the sentence. He then shifted to the financial side, pointing out that Musiala is still being paid and asking the audience to “imagine if Bayern Munich were now to call his contract into question.”

Musiala signed an extension in February 2025 that ties him to the club until 2030 on a reported salary of up to €26m a year, according to Pulse Sports, second only to Harry Kane in Munich.

The pre-season collapses behind the diagnosis

The condition Hoeneß referred to became public in August 2026, after Musiala collapsed twice during pre-season preparation. Musiala himself confirmed on social media that he was being treated for a neurological dysfunction causing what he called “brief, temporary, and treatable episodes of absence.”

Neurologist Christoph Kleinschnitz said the pattern was consistent with “a form of absence epilepsy”, according to Yahoo, though no formal diagnosis has been shared publicly by the club.

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Musiala said at the time he was receiving “the best possible medical treatment” and was optimistic. Bayern board member Max Eberl had attributed the episodes to a change Musiala made to his medication. Head coach Vincent Kompany is himself currently away from the touchline after his own collapse at a training session on 23 October.

A season that has barely started

The playmaker has made only four appearances this season, scoring once and providing one assist, before suffering a torn muscle fibre in September, after the 7-0 win over Union Berlin on 18 September. He has not played since. The injury sits on top of a longer run of setbacks that began with a broken leg at the Club World Cup in summer 2025.

That is the context Hoeneß stepped into on Sunday, and it has not landed well. On SportBible, reactions ranged from “disgraceful” to “horrible statement, keep these thoughts to yourself.” Several fans questioned the decision to air doubts about a 23-year-old’s career prospects, and his contract, in public.

Bayern have not issued a club statement responding to Hoeneß’s remarks. Musiala returned to first-team training in the week of 8 November, with a possible return to matchday action after the international break when Bayern host 1. FC Köln on 21 November.

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