It truly seems like an 'injury curse' has struck. Bayern Munich secured a comeback victory, based on their focus in the second half, but ace Jamal Musiala (22, Bayern Munich) will be out for an extended period.

Bayern Munich won 3-1 in the away match against Augsburg in the 28th round of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga, held at WWK Arena in Augsburg, Germany, at 3:30 a.m. (KST) on the 5th, further solidifying their lead. With this victory, Bayern recorded 68 points (21 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses).

However, Bayern could not easily celebrate the victory. Jamal Musiala, the core of the team's offense and ace, was substituted out early in the second half due to a hamstring injury, raising serious concerns for the team. Bayern took control from the start, but conceded the opening goal to Janjulis in the 30th minute due to a defensive error on a set piece. However, they quickly retaliated, and in the 42nd minute, Musiala calmly finished off a through pass from Sane, leveling the score.

As the second half began, the atmosphere changed drastically. In the 53rd minute, Musiala fell to the ground holding his thigh, and was immediately substituted out, increasing worries about his injury status. The Bayern bench could not hide their bewilderment, and Musiala headed straight to the locker room.

Fortunately, the momentum shifted in favor of Bayern. In the 58th minute, Kane drew a foul from Chechiger during a counterattack, leading to a red card, and in the resulting free-kick situation, Kane connected with a diving header from Olise's cross to score the comeback goal. Just before the end of the match, Sané's cross deflected off a defender and connected for the consolidation goal.

In defense, Kim Min-jae played another central role. Despite suffering from Achilles tendonitis and condition issues, he played a full match and was responsible for the team's defense. In the 90th minute, a crisis occurred due to a mistake by Dier, but Kim Min-jae quickly covered and blocked the opponent's shot, preventing a crucial goal.

On that day, Kim Min-jae recorded a 94% pass success rate (77 attempts), won 3 aerial duels (5 attempts), made 1 interception, and had 4 clearances, showing stability in overall defensive metrics.

Bayern secured 3 points, but Musiala's injury is a blow beyond the match result. Musiala, who has recorded 17 goals and 5 assists in 40 matches this season, including cup competitions, was a key pillar of the Munich attack. Notably, he played a crucial role by scoring the equalizer on that day, changing the flow of the match.

With several players already sidelined by injuries, including Dayot Upamecano, Alphonso Davies, Kingsley Coman, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Hiroki Ito, the likelihood of Musiala also being out has increased. As it stands, Musiala is expected to miss approximately 8 weeks, making it highly likely that he won't be seen for the remainder of the season.

Bayern announced on their official website, "Musiala suffered a rupture in his left thigh muscle. He will likely be out for the season." Bayern has a grueling schedule ahead, including the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Inter Milan (April 9) and then the Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund (April 13), but they will have to fight without Musiala.

The possibility of Musiala returning may open up only in the Champions League final. However, for Bayern, who are already facing defensive injuries, reaching the final is a far-fetched dream. The season's final phase seems to be crumbling for Bayern, who are beset by injuries.

[OSEN]