How good is Jamal Musiala?

Jamal Musiala was the star of Matchday 1, putting on an absolute clinic in what’s been a rapid rise for the youngster.

Answer: Really good.

Still a teenager, Jamal Musiala is doing things most footballers could never even dream of. Bayern have rewarded his world-class play by preferring Musiala to the experienced Leroy Sane. That should tell you everything you need to know.

Throughout the past year in Europe’s top 5 leagues, Musiala is above the 95th percentile in total shots, non-penalty xG, assists and shot-creating actions. It’s hard to find anyone better at progressing the ball forward. He averages 0.36 goals and 2.56 shots per 90 min., statistics unheard of for a player this young in midfield.

On Matchday 1, Frankfurt’s defense had no answer for Musiala’s pace, as he consistently breezed right through without a care in the world. Musiala leads the Bundesliga with his 21 duels won through the first contest. It feels like he’s the perfect player to run manager Julian Nagelsmann’s system that emphasizes flexibility. A coach can pretty much throw Musiala anywhere in front of their defense and expect decent results with his versatility.

With Bayern’s quality, the sneak peek of combinational play we saw on Matchday 1 was so enjoyable to watch. It’s hard to see how an opposing team could stop this attack, except from parking the bus to the extreme. Musiala’s pace, passing and dribbling (2.65 completed per 90 min.) make him the complete package.

The 19-year-old is simply the present and future at the club and national levels.

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