Bayern cautious over Jamal Musiala return despite full team training

Jamal Musiala has returned to full team training with Bayern Munich, but the Bundesliga champions are expected to resist the temptation to accelerate his competitive comeback when they face VfL Osnabrück in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday.

The Germany international completed another full session with Vincent Kompany’s squad on Monday, continuing a steady progression back towards match fitness.

According to Sport Bild, however, Musiala is unlikely to be included in the squad for the trip to Osnabrück, with Bayern, the player and his medical team all favouring a cautious approach.

A final decision is expected closer to the game.

The development represents another significant step in Musiala’s return.

Bayern had already confirmed last Thursday that the 23-year-old was training with the team again, but Kompany made clear at the time that he would not be considered for the Bundesliga opener against Stuttgart.

The club’s position has not materially changed.

Musiala is now physically capable of completing full sessions.

That does not yet mean Bayern believe he is ready for competitive minutes.

The distinction has become particularly important because of the unusual medical circumstances surrounding his recent absence.

Musiala suffered two worrying episodes during Bayern’s final pre-season period.

He collapsed without contact during a friendly against RB Leipzig before returning to action several days later against Heidenheim, only to require medical attention again shortly after coming on.

Musiala subsequently explained that he had been diagnosed with brief and treatable absences caused by a neurological dysfunction.

He stressed at the time that he was doing well and that the condition was manageable.

Bayern have since worked closely with specialists while gradually reintegrating him into normal training.

That process appears to be progressing positively.

The question now is no longer whether Musiala can train.

It is when Bayern decide the medical and competitive risk has fallen sufficiently for him to play.

Wednesday’s cup tie offers an obvious opportunity on paper.

Bayern begin the defence of their DFB-Pokal title away at Osnabrück and will be expected to control the match against lower-division opposition.

But that same context also reduces the need to take unnecessary risk.

Kompany has already shown that he is prepared to proceed without Musiala while the midfielder rebuilds rhythm.

Bayern began the season without him in the Supercup against Borussia Dortmund and again left him out against Stuttgart despite his return to team training.

The attacking structure has therefore already been functioning without its usual No.10.

Nathaniel Brown has been used in a more advanced role, while Michael Olise and Luis Díaz continue to provide creativity and penetration from the attacking line.

That depth gives Bayern room to prioritise Musiala’s longer-term availability rather than using the DFB-Pokal as a deadline for his return.

The club’s caution is also understandable in the broader context of his last year.

Musiala’s 2025-26 campaign had already been interrupted by the recovery process following the serious ankle injury he sustained the previous summer.

Bayern confirmed in July that he underwent a small scheduled routine procedure after returning from the World Cup as part of that rehabilitation plan.

The neurological episodes during pre-season then created a separate issue requiring another layer of medical management.

There is currently no indication from Bayern that Musiala has suffered a setback in training.

Quite the opposite.

His progression from individual work to partial involvement and now full team sessions suggests the rehabilitation process is moving in the intended direction.

But Bayern are drawing a clear line between training availability and match availability.

That is why the most important development from Monday is not that Musiala is expected to play again immediately.

It is that he can now complete Bayern’s full training programme without the club feeling compelled to convert that progress into competitive minutes.

Osnabrück may still come too soon.

If Bayern maintain the cautious approach they have followed throughout the past week, Musiala’s return will happen only when the club believe the final medical threshold has been crossed — not simply because the next fixture offers an opportunity.