Bayern Munich suffer huge injury blow ahead of Arsenal clash

Bayern Munich will be without Jamal Musiala for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Arsenal after the midfielder failed to recover in time from a muscle injury.

According to a report by Sky Sports on Monday, October 19, 2026, Musiala will also miss Bayern’s Bundesliga fixture against SC Freiburg on Sunday as he continues his rehabilitation.

The Germany international has been working individually at Bayern’s training facilities and only returned to training activities on Monday. However, the club are unwilling to rush his recovery, with concerns that an early return could aggravate the injury.

Musiala sustained the muscle tear while on international duty and has been working towards regaining full fitness.

His continued absence represents a setback for Bayern as they prepare to face Arsenal in an important European fixture.

The midfielder’s creativity, technical ability and capacity to influence attacking situations make him a valuable option for the German champions. His unavailability will therefore remove one of Bayern’s attacking threats against Mikel Arteta’s side.

However, Bayern’s cautious approach suggests the club are prioritising his long-term fitness rather than risking a premature comeback against Arsenal.

Despite missing the two upcoming fixtures, Musiala could return to action before the end of October if his rehabilitation continues to progress without complications.

The report identifies next Wednesday’s DFB-Pokal meeting with Magdeburg as a possible opportunity for the midfielder to feature again.

Alternatively, Bayern could consider involving him in their Bundesliga encounter against Borussia Dortmund three days later.

Both fixtures could provide opportunities for Musiala to regain match fitness, depending on his condition and progress in training.

His absence also gives Arsenal a clearer picture of the Bayern squad they are likely to encounter on Wednesday.

The Gunners will aim to take advantage of the situation as they prepare for a demanding test against one of Europe’s leading sides.

Nevertheless, Bayern remain a formidable opponent despite losing one of their key attacking players. Arsenal will still need to deliver a disciplined performance to secure a positive result.