Jamal Musiala collapsed on a football pitch for the second time in four days on Tuesday night, eight minutes after coming on as a substitute in Bayern Munich's friendly at Heidenheim. He had replaced Ismael Saibari after 61 minutes and was himself replaced by Cassiano Kiala eight minutes later, appearing dazed as he received treatment before being helped off. Within hours he had explained why he had been on the pitch at all.
"I've been diagnosed with temporary, brief, but easily treatable absence seizures, which are due to a neurological dysfunction," he wrote on Instagram. "These can lead to the recent episodes, like the one against Leipzig or now in Heidenheim." He added: "I'm receiving excellent medical treatment and am very optimistic. FC Bayern and my family and friends are always by my side and supporting me on this journey."
The line that reframes the four days had already been said, before the player spoke, by Bayern's sporting director. Asked after the Heidenheim game about Musiala playing again following Saturday's collapse, Max Eberl replied: "We knew about it and we are aware of the situation." The club was not caught out by what happened on Tuesday, and by its own account had not been caught out on Saturday either.
Saturday's version of events was a good deal thinner. Musiala went down shortly before the end of the friendly against RB Leipzig, causing alarm among his teammates before medical staff reached him, one of whom eased the tension with a thumbs up. He left the field unattended and walked down the steps into the tunnel by himself, though he still appeared dazed. Bayern offered no update the following day beyond a board member for sport saying "The main thing is that he's OK", and the heat was raised as a possible factor, the temperature in Munich having been above 30C at the time.