“A professional player would never make such an entry,” said Xabi Alonso to goalkeeper Donnarumma after his terrible shock with Musiala and has demanded that FIFA impose a hard sanction.
In a dramatic and emotional quarterfinal match of the FIFA 2025 Club World Cup, the world of football was shock after a devastating incident between the star midfielder of Bayern Munich, Jamal Musiala, and the goalkeeper of Paris Saint-Germain, Gianluigi Donnarumma. The clash, occurred in the last moments of the first half in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (USA), left Musiala seriously injured. According to reports, the 22 -year -old suffered a fracture of fibula that could leave it up to five months. The sequelae of the incident have generated an intense debate, with the coach of Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso, leading criticism against Donnarumma, accusing the Italian imprudent game goalkeeper and asking FIFA to impose a severe sanction.
The incident occurred when Musiala, one of Bayern’s brightest stars, entered the PSG area to collect a loose ball. Donnarumma, known for his imposing presence in the goal, ran to collect the ball, but violently crashed with Musiala, who suffered an abnormal twist in the left ankle because of the impact. Slow chamber repetitions showed the young German midfielder twisting with pain, with crooked foot in a terrible angle. The stadium was silent while the medical staff went to help Musiala and finally took him out of the field on a stretcher. Bayern players, including Harry Kane and Michael Olise, were visibly shocked, while a donnarumma, visibly shocked, covered his face and then cried.
Xabi Alonso, who has played both for Bayern Munich and for the PSG in his career as a coach, hastened to condemn Donnarumma’s actions. Speaking to the press after the game, Alonso declared: «A professional player would never do such an intervention. It was reckless and dangerous. Musiala is a young talent that lives for football and it is unacceptable to see him suffer such a terrible injury. FIFA must take this seriously and punish with a sanction that reflects the seriousness of the incident ». Alonso’s comments coincided with the feeling of the Bavarian team, and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and sports director Max Eberl also criticized Donnarumma’s decision to pronounce with such hardness. Neuer, in particular, emphasized the need to show respect, stating that he faced Donnarumma after the game and urged him to control Musiala as a sample of sportsmanship.
The lack of immediate disciplinary measures of the referee Anthony Taylor further fueled the debate. Despite the presence of the VAR, there was no penalty and Donnarumma came out, a decision that enraged the players, the coaching staff and the Bayern fans. Social networks were filled with fans who questioned why the Italian goalkeeper had not been shown the red card, so many described as a dangerous entrance. “How did Taylor not review this in the VAR? This clearly endangered the safety of a player,” said an amateur. “Donnarumma’s intervention was reckless and the silence of FIFA is deafening.”
Despite the criticism, Donnarumma showed repentance and published a message on social networks wishing Musiala a prompt recovery: “I want to pray and wish you the best, Jamal Musiala.” PSG players, including Captain Marquinhos and Achraf Hakimi side, also expressed their solidarity. Marquinhos declared: “No one wants to see this in the football field. We wish Jamal a prompt recovery.” However, these gestures failed to calm the anger of the Bayern team, and coach Vincent Kompany described the incident as a moment during the break that left him “amended by rage.”
The game ended with 2-0 victory for the PSG, with goals from Ousmane Dembélé and Desire Doué, despite the fact that the French team finished the match with nine players after two expulsions. The Bayern, already affected by Musiala’s injury, had difficulty recovering in the second part and its elimination of the tournament deepened the feeling of injustice. Musiala’s injury is a hard blow to Bayern, which depends on the creativity of the young star at crucial moments of the Bundesliga and other competitions.
While the football community awaits FIFA’s response, the incident has revived the debate on the safety of players and the role of arbitration in high -risk matches. Alonso’s request for severe sanction reflects a broader demand for responsibility, especially when a player’s career could be at risk due to such lack of ethics. For now, Musiala has a long way to go to recover and the world of football is attentive to see if FIFA attends Alonso’s request and takes decisive measures against Donnarumma.
