by Oliver Trust

BERLIN, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious ankle injury during his side's 2-0 FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

The 22-year-old sustained a fibula fracture and multiple torn ligaments in his left ankle following a collision with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in Atlanta. The scene left teammates and opponents visibly shaken, and after an agonizing 15-minute deliberation pitchside, Bayern team doctor Peter Hahne and sporting director Christoph Freund confirmed that Musiala would return to Germany for treatment.

Images of the incident showed Musiala's ankle bending unnaturally, prompting an emotional reaction from Donnarumma, who broke into tears and knelt on the pitch, covering his face with his gloves. Players from both teams, including Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich, Michael Olise, Kingsley Coman and PSG defender Willian Pacho, reacted in visible distress as Musiala screamed in pain.

Musiala's injury is a significant blow for both Bayern and the Germany national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The midfielder had only recently returned from a muscle injury in April and was making his first start back in the lineup for the tournament in the United States.

The incident overshadowed Bayern's defeat and the final appearance of 35-year-old club legend Thomas Muller, who is departing after 25 years with the club.

Tributes and messages of support flooded social media. Brazilian star Neymar wrote, "Football needs your unique talent; I hope you are back soon," while new Liverpool signing Florian Wirtz added: "All prayers are with you. Stay strong, buddy." PSG teammates Achraf Hakimi and Donnarumma also offered public messages of support.

"It was a highly emotional moment," Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany said. "At halftime, my blood was boiling."

Muller echoed the sentiment. "We're not robots. You try to stay focused, but we have deep personal connections. He's been through a lot in recent months."

Initial medical assessments suggest Musiala will be out for at least six months. He rejoined his teammates in Orlando after the match and is expected to return to Germany late Sunday local time.

"He is extremely frustrated," said Bayern board member Max Eberl. "The Bayern family will be there for him every step of the way on his long road to recovery."