Musiala's participation in World Cup still in doubt

Germany forward Jamal Musiala is starting to run out of time to regain the top form he needs to play at the World Cup, coach Julian Nagelsmann has said, reported dpa.

Musiala, 23, suffered a pain reaction in the ankle he severely injured last summer on March 10 while playing for Bayern Munich. He returned to individual training on Thursday.

Musiala is a key player for club and country but last played for Germany 12 months ago. He is now missing World Cup tune-up matches in Switzerland later on Friday and against Ghana on Monday.

Bayern have given no date when he could play again, and there is not much time left until Germany leave on June 2 for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

"Like everyone else, Jamal must be at 100% if he wants to play," Nagelsmann said ahead of the Switzerland game.

"He doesn't have much time left, no doubt about it. But I think he is capable of reaching 100%. He’s got eight weeks left.

“He’s been out for a long time. I just want to keep my fingers crossed for him that his ankle heals quickly, that nothing else goes wrong, and that he doesn’t feel any more pain.

“The important thing for Jamal is that he’s healthy, that he’s pain-free, and that he can perform at 100% and reach his usual level.”

Musiala fractured his fibula and ruptured ankle ligaments at the Club World Cup in July. He returned to action in January before the latest setback.

"It was an extremely serious injury which, as is fairly common, keeps causing a few minor problems from time to time,” Nagelsmann said.

“If you’re on the pitch as a player, you’re in pain, you can cope with it and you’re performing at 100%, it doesn’t matter," but “if you’re in pain that you can’t cope with for various reasons then you’re a bit inhibited. You can’t play freely."