Reason Nottingham Forest star Daniel Munoz is wearing a face mask

1. Surgical intervention: Daniel Muñoz underwent corrective nasal surgery during the summer off-season following his World Cup duties to repair structural damage and improve his respiratory intake. The custom protective mask was mandated by medical staff to safeguard his recovering nose from physical contact while allowing him to return to training safely.
2. How long he has worn mask for: The Colombian defender first donned the protective facial gear while playing for Crystal Palace against Everton on August 22, where he featured for 55 minutes. This outing marked his initial return to competitive match action while still adjusting to playing with the headgear.
3. Injury update: Oliver Glasner addressed the situation during a press conference, explaining that the post-surgery recovery period severely restricted the defender's early preparation time. Glasner noted that the mask allowed Muñoz to build up his match fitness safely without risking further damage to his facial structure.
4. Impact on season: While the nasal procedure disrupted his fitness build-up, active transfer negotiations between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest played the main role in limiting his game time late in August. Glasner confirmed that Muñoz was left out of Crystal Palace's clash against Manchester City specifically because those transfer talks had reached an advanced stage.
5. Manager comments: "He played in a mask at Everton because he had surgery on his nose for his breathing," Glasner said. "That’s why he’s not had many minutes in pre-season and 55 minutes against Everton. He didn’t play against Manchester City because the negotiations were quite far along. That’s why I say he needs to get back to his top fitness level."
6. Standard protective requirement: Wearing the custom headgear is a standard medical precaution to maintain structural stability rather than a strategy tailored for any single opponent. Munoz will continue to wear the face mask consistently across all fixtures as he works toward peak match sharpness.

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