Before the second match in the group stage of the Champions League between Bayern Munich and Barcelona held about two weeks ago, the media in Germany and Spain were talking about only one person - Robert Lewandowski.
In view of the return of the Polish striker to Bavaria after eight years in which he starred in the Allianz Arena and the strained relationship in recent months between the clubs, this was required.
At the end of the game, Lewandowski still got the attention he deserved, but it was 19-year-old Jamal Musiale who stole the show.
80 minutes and an assist for Leroy Sane was enough for him to be selected by UEFA as the outstanding player and it seems that this is a game that will be a very important landmark for the German/English boy.
Musiale, who has been in Bayern's senior team for three years, presented the entire range of his repertoire in the game against Xavi and his team.
He played in the number 10 position, where Thomas Muller has been playing successfully for years, when Muller himself was moved to the number 9 position and replaced the vacant position due to the departure of Lewandowski.
Musiala and Müller are having fun.
The necessary adjustments have been made, photo: Guy Images
Musiale, who in nine official games already has five goals and two assists, was the player who created the most chances with five of them, was very mobile, showed his dribbling, speed and the fact that he constantly pushes the game forward.
The one who is called "Bambi" by his friends in light of his lightness, a sign that he is mature enough to take on an important role at Bayern, especially in light of the shift changes, even in big games and a sign to the one who gave him his debut in the senior team - Hansie Flick - who is currently coaching Germany , who also deserves to play in the national team's uniform in the World Cup in Qatar.
"He has the potential to fight one day for the Ballon d'Or, he is a great talent, he always wants to improve and this ambition drives him. If he continues like this, he can succeed Robert Lewandowski without a problem," said Germany legend Luther Matthaus.
Musiala, by the way, has received praise from other legends such as Michael Ballack, Oliver Kahn and the one who was a part of Germany's victory in the 1990 World Cup - Karl Heinz Riedel, in the recent period since the German league began, which symbolizes more than anything the jump in his recognition and the level of expectations that he has.
Musiale in Germany training this week.
Ready to set the tone in the national team as well, photo: Getty Images
Before the match against Barcelona, Musiala revealed in an interview to "Bild" that the Catalan team is considered one of his favorites in the world and during Pep Guardiola's time, he would sit and watch their games, study the movements of the attacking players and follow the moves of Xavi and Andres Iniesta, which explains Maybe his ability to play as a central midfielder.
"Barcelona is my favorite team," he said, "the midfield with Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets fascinated me. I could watch their games over and over."
In another interview Musiala said that in recent years, Neymar was the player he watched the most on YouTube.
He wanted to learn exercises from him, a way to pass players one on one and what is absurd, that precisely at the time Musiale revealed his admiration for Neymar, the Brazilian is in one of his best periods in recent years, after endless criticism.
Similar to the transformation that Bayern Munich is going through and the necessary change of generations, the German national team has also undergone an important upheaval in the last year after the failures in the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020. With Flick on the lines, more new faces are seen in the squad.
Musiala in a Bayern Munich uniform.
The future is already here, photo: Getty Images
In light of the good acquaintance between Flick and Musiale and the ability of the boy, who preferred to play in Germany, where his mother was born and not in England, where he grew up, or in Nigeria, where his father was born, the chance of the midfielder being screwed into the team of the Manchester United is not far-fetched.
His versatility threatens players like Timo Werner, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry and even Leon Goretzka, who just recently returned from injury.
Today (Friday) in a match against the Hungarian national team in a direct battle for first place in the Nations League, he will have another chance to show that he arrived at the critical months of world football in great shape.
If in the last World Cup, Kylian Mbappe was the one who won the title of "young player of the tournament", it seems that the leading candidate to inherit the small and respected trophy in Qatar, is on the rise at exactly the right time.
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us
