“My mom has already sent me thousands of WhatsApp messages” – Musiala shines on long-awaited starting eleven comeback

Jamal Musiala’s smile said it all on Wednesday night in Eindhoven. After a long road back from his summer injury, the Bayern Munich star marked his first start since returning from injury with a goal - and an honest, self-reflective reaction:

“I’m really happy about my goal. My mom has already sent me thousands of WhatsApp messages,” Musiala said with a laugh after the final whistle. More than the finish itself, however, the moment symbolised something bigger. “I’m especially happy to be back on the pitch. My focus is now on the next game, to keep raising my level.”

The 21-year-old admitted that not everything felt perfect yet, which only added to the authenticity of his assessment. “It was really good, except for the beginning of the second half – I briefly forgot to play football then,” Musiala joked, before striking a more serious tone. “I had some good moments and I’m slowly getting back into it.”

That gradual process is exactly what Musiala is embracing as he rebuilds rhythm and sharpness at the highest level. “When I’m on the pitch, I just want to have a lot of energy and focus and deliver,” he explained. “Today was a good day.”

Beyond his personal comeback, Musiala also highlighted Bayern’s collective consistency, something that has defined their Champions League campaign. “We haven’t let our level drop for many games now,” he noted, pointing to lessons learned earlier in the season. “We learned that against Augsburg, when we need to ease off a bit.”

The 2-1 win in Eindhoven, sealed late on, carried extra significance with the decisive phase of the season approaching. “It was an important win today,” Musiala said. “Now the decisive games are coming up and it’s important that we raise our level a little bit for these matches.”

For Bayern, Musiala’s return to the starting XI felt like another major boost ahead of the knockout rounds. For Musiala himself, it was a reminder that after months of frustration, he is once again where he wants to be: on the pitch, contributing, and looking forward rather than back.