No "brilliance" on show against PSG! Vincent Kompany is still awaiting a clear answer from Bayern Munich

A blessing in disguise: Gnabry's injury came as Musiala rediscovered his best form. In March, ankle trouble had sidelined Musiala, forced him to withdraw from the international fixtures, and led Oliver Kahn to suggest he might miss the World Cup.

By April, however, the 20-year-old had rediscovered his sharpness, delivering a series of standout displays that underlined his importance to club and country.

In the Bundesliga, he began scoring as a rotation player for Gnabry, who was simply being rested at the time; in the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid, he provided crucial impetus from the bench, and following Gnabry's injury, he was suddenly back in the starting line-up. Six goals and assists in seven games. Musiala looked determined and fit, whilst his passing became increasingly brilliant and his dribbling more intricate.

"It's a coincidence that Serge got injured now, and Jamal isn't that far off," manager Vincent Kompany explained at the time. "Physically, he's very close to his best. Running, pressing, winning tackles—he can do all that now. There's just one question left: when will that 'Magic Musiala' return? That Jamal at his absolute best. When that total freedom comes back at some point – and it will – then you'll have a more developed version of Jamal Musiala. And as a manager, I'm looking forward to that."

Then the football calendar served up PSG in the Champions League semi-finals—the same side against whom Musiala had broken his fibula during the Club World Cup the previous summer. Against that very team, he returned to the starting XI and instantly became a key figure. The perfect stage for "Magic Musiala" to return. It was shaping up to be the kind of story only football can write.

As expected, Musiala started the first leg against PSG, yet he failed to make an impact. Instead, the show was stolen by Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz. Despite four goals for Bayern, Musiala failed to register a shot on target, an assist or even a clean chance—his only opening was unluckily wasted. He completed just 26 passes, second-fewest among the starters, and spent 34 minutes fewer on the pitch than Alphonso Davies, who still managed more.

The match passed him by entirely. To some extent, that was due to the nature of the contest. Play ping-ponged mostly along the wings, rarely pausing in the centre; the ball seemed to avoid the central midfield as if nails had been laid there. Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic in the double-six also hungered for involvement, just as futilely as Musiala had before them.

"I didn't think he was inconspicuous against Paris," sporting director Max Eberl countered the criticism of Musiala somewhat too kindly, but what else could he say? Malicious tongues might point out: Musiala was conspicuous in the 33rd minute, at least, when he let Joao Neves have his way from a corner, thereby causing the score to go 1-2. "He may not have shone as brightly as the others, but he worked incredibly hard for the team," added Eberl, quite rightly. Musiala contested 15 challenges—second only to Olise—and won ten.

Four days after the show in Paris, Bayern Munich hosted 1. FC Heidenheim in a Bundesliga game that mattered little to the hosts. Jamal Musiala was one of only four players to keep his starting spot, yet the youngster never sparkled against the bottom-of-the-table side. "Like the others, he wasn't 100 per cent in the game," Eberl remarked after the 3-3 draw. Musiala managed only one tame shot before Kompany replaced him at half-time.

"He's clocked up some minutes, so I see it as a positive," said Eberl, adding: "He'll help us on Wednesday." In the return leg against PSG, Musiala has a second chance to produce another 'of all teams' moment. Despite Leon Goretzka's brace against Heidenheim, Musiala's place in the starting line-up remains secure.

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