Bayern Munich fans were left holding their breath after Jamal Musiala collapsed on the pitch during their Telekom Cup clash with RB Leipzig.

The German international had scored his side’s third goal just minutes earlier, only for the celebration to turn to concern shortly after play resumed.

With temperatures well in excess of 30 degrees Celsius bearing down on the Allianz Arena, the 23-year-old suddenly went unsteady on his feet before crumpling to the ground, sparking a scramble from those around him and a nervous wait for supporters inside the stadium.

Jamal Musiala Suffers Latest Scare For Bayern Munich

REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

The scare will do little to ease nerves around Musiala’s fitness, given the midfielder is still working his way back from the horror leg break he suffered during last year’s Club World Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain.

That injury kept him sidelined for more than six months, but he returned in time to make it into Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad, so any fresh scare, regardless of cause, is bound to cause concern among the Bayern faithful.

The Munich giants ultimately ran out 3-1 winners on the day. Luis Diaz netted an early opener, before Brighton loanee Brajan Gruda equalised, but Nathaniel Brown and Musiala’s late strikes secured the trophy for the German champions.

Ismael Saibari Praised for Rushing to Musiala’s Aid

REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

As reported by The Sun, Musiala looked woozy and disoriented in the moments before he collapsed, with teammate Ismael Saibari, who had assisted his goal just minutes earlier, sprinting over to help cushion his fall.

Medics rushed onto the pitch as concerned Bayern players gathered around him, with Musiala lying still on the turf as treatment was administered before medical staff gave the thumbs up, and he was helped off to a rousing ovation.

The moment carried extra weight for supporters online given Saibari wears the No. 34 shirt in tribute to former Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered permanent brain damage after collapsing on the pitch in 2017.

Reaction poured in on X, with one fan writing: “The poor guy probably got mild flashbacks right away… A real stand-up guy,” while another added: “Poor guy. He was probably thinking about Nouri at that time.”

Others praised Saibari directly, with one writing: “Always knew he was a good guy when he took No.34 and now this just confirms it,” and another simply branding the Moroccan as a “real teammate.”

A former Liverpool striker revealed back in 2016 that he had a miserable time at Anfield, describing his move to the Merseyside club as the ‘worst decision’ of his life.

For many players, signing for the Reds is the pinnacle of their career. Few get to play for such a storied club that consistently competes for major honours and boasts a uniquely passionate fanbase. Liverpool have six Champions League titles to their name, pay their players some of the most lucrative salaries in the sport and play in front of a boisterous Anfield crowd every week.

However, for the eccentric Mario Balotelli, his two-year stint plying his trade for the north-west outfit was one of the worst periods of his career. The Italian outlined the issues he had on Merseyside in a stunning 2016 interview, in which he detailed his problems with managers Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp.

Mario Balotelli Lamented His Two-Year Stint at Liverpool

Balotelli enjoyed an impressive spell at Manchester City between 2010 and 2013, scoring 30 goals in 80 appearances, winning a Premier League title in the process. However, he opted to leave the north-west in January 2013 to return to his home nation, signing for AC Milan after falling behind Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko in the pecking order at the Etihad.

He was back in this region of England just 18 months later, deciding he wanted another go at the Premier League. He arrived at Liverpool in August 2014 after Rodgers had pushed for his acquisition, but went on to struggle to adapt to life on Merseyside.

“Joining Liverpool was the worst decision of my life,” he told Canal+ (via FourFourTwo) in 2016.

“Apart from the fantastic fans and some players with whom I have an excellent relationship, I did not like the club.

“I had two coaches at Liverpool, Rodgers and Klopp for a bit. I did not like their methods and their personalities. I never really felt well there.

“I am nothing like Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] for example. You could confront Zlatan with lions, and he would still be calm. If you surround him with good people, he will still be calm. That’s the way he is.

“But I need to be more relaxed and have surroundings that work for me.”

Balotelli parted ways with Liverpool two years after signing for the Premier League giants. He spent the second of these two seasons back in Milan on loan, after having made just 28 appearances in his debut campaign for the Reds, netting four goals.

How Mario Balotelli’s Career Has Panned Out Post-Liverpool

In the same interview 10 years ago, Balotelli revealed that he had aspirations of winning the Ballon d’Or within a few years. “It is not too late for me to win the Ballon d’Or,” he said.

This increased hard work led to a solid career at numerous different clubs, but he never came close to the Ballon d’Or.

After leaving Liverpool, Balotelli enjoyed a productive two-and-a-half-year stint at Nice in France, before a succession of largely unsuccessful spells in several different countries. He spent time at Marseille, Brescia, Monza, Adana Demirspor, Sion, Genoa and Al-Ittifaq, where he is today, still playing football and scoring goals at the age of 36.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 15-08-26.

Fans of one NFL team have already given up on an off-season recruit, despite only seeing him play a handful of snaps on his debut for the franchise.

Tua Tagovailoa’s first appearance as an Atlanta Falcon was supposed to mark the beginning of a fresh chapter, and potentially a new starting opportunity under head coach Kevin Stefanski. Instead, the 28-year-old quarterback endured a preseason debut that immediately set off alarm bells across the fanbase.

With Michael Penix Jr. still recovering from a torn ACL and not yet cleared for full practice, Tagovailoa entered Friday night’s matchup against the Denver Broncos as the frontrunner in the quarterback competition. But his performances did little to cement that position.

A fumbled shotgun snap, a sluggish offensive rhythm, and a 27-7 home defeat left supporters frustrated and vocal online. While preseason games rarely define a season, Tagovailoa’s opening impression has already become a talking point, and not the one he hoped for.

Quarterback’s Debut Raises Fan Concern

Carlo Allegri via Reuters

Tagovailoa played two series in the preseason opener, finishing 3-of-5 for 22 yards, with four of his completions going to tight end Kyle Pitts. The defining moment came early: on his second snap, he mishandled a shotgun snap and fell on the ball, a mistake that set the tone for a flat offensive showing. Falcons fans wasted no time expressing their frustration on social media.

One supporter wrote, “Get him off my team,” whilst another claimed, “The Falcons are going into the season with the worst QB room.” Others were even harsher, with comments like “Sheshh, he really is awful,” and “Death, taxes, Tua mishandling perfect snaps!” The reaction underscored how little patience Falcons fans had for early mishaps, even in August.

Tua Takes Responsibility As Stefanski Urges Responsibility

Speaking after the game, Tagovailoa didn’t shy away from a performance he knew was subpar. `’Frustrated and disappointed at the way things happened tonight,” he told reporters, adding that the performance was “not a reflection of hard work” put in during training camp. He acknowledged that the early fumble disrupted his rhythm, saying, “It starts with me, I got to be better with that.”

Tagovailoa also admitted that outing him did no favours for his competition with Penix: “I’m competing… but just got to be better.”

Head coach Kevin Stefanski, however, urged caution before concluding. He refused to judge Tagovailoa, noting that the entire offense struggled and that mistakes like dropped snaps are fixable.

Tagovailoa is expected to get another opportunity next Saturday against the Colts, but with fan sentiment already shifting, the time is ticking for him to rebound ahead of the start of the 2026 season.