Twice in four days football world was speechless watching Jamal Musiala (23) demolishes on the ground.
It happened again on Tuesday (August 18) during a friendly match against Heidenheim. Musiala entered the game in the second half, and collapsed after only a few minutes. Players from both teams quickly formed a circle to shield him from the cameras while he was being helped.
After the intervention of the doctor, he managed to get up and leave the field, similar to how he did three days earlier in Bayern's game against Leipzig. Then Musiala even scored a goal after coming off the bench, but soon collapsed.
After the second incident, the Bayern player tried to clarify what was happening on social networks. "I have been diagnosed with temporary, short-term, but easily curable absences, which are the result of neurological dysfunction. They can lead to situations like the ones that happened against Leipzig and Heidenheim," said the Bayern player.
He added that he is under constant medical supervision, that there is no additional health risk and that he wants to continue playing football.
Tabloid Bild consulted Christoph Kleinschnitz, director of the Department of Neurology at the Essen University Hospital. "From a neurological perspective, it's possible it's an epileptic seizure," he said.
It seems to him like absence epilepsy (from absence - absence). "This is indicated by symptoms such as short-term loss of consciousness. However, for a final assessment, all the findings of neurological examinations would have to be known. It is successfully treated, but would require permanent therapy. Musiala could still play football," said Kleinschnitz.
What exactly are absences?
In the simplest terms, absence is a brief "disconnection" between the brain and the environment. The man seems to switch off for a few seconds. He can stop in the middle of a movement, look at one point or stop reacting to what is happening around him.
Unlike the classic image of an epileptic seizure, there are not necessarily convulsions or dramatic body movements. When the episode passes, the person usually returns to normal immediately and is often unaware that anything has happened.
In everyday life, such an episode can go almost unnoticed. However, on the football field, everyone can see that it can cause danger
How do they occur and how are they treated?
Absences are most often associated with a disturbance of electrical activity in the brain. It is not always known exactly why they occur, but doctors generally classify them as forms of epilepsy. They usually appear in children.
In a large number of cases, they are successfully controlled with drugs, and patients lead a completely normal life, work, drive, play sports and have no serious restrictions, provided they regularly take therapy and go for check-ups.
By the looks of it, Jamal Musiala's case is less dramatic than some of the earlier ones fans have witnessed on the field. But the question is whether the Bayern player will be able to start the season normally if there is a risk of getting attacked after a few minutes of the game.
Only in August: Save three thousand dinars on the annual subscription to the digital edition of "Vremena"! Take advantage of the discount here and support independent journalism.
