Injury setback for Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who faces race to be fit for Champions League
Injury setback for Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who faces race to be fit for Champions League
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, center, receives treatment during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, center, walks off the pitch during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, second left, receives treatment during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, center, receives treatment during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, center, receives treatment during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, center, walks off the pitch during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, center, walks off the pitch during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, second left, receives treatment during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, second left, receives treatment during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer faces a longer spell out than initially thought after aggravating a calf injury he suffered while celebrating a goal.
Neuer was working on his comeback from a right calf muscle tear when he suffered a setback in training on Saturday. Bayern described it as a “reaction” and said he will need to rest further, while German media on Sunday said it was another muscle tear.
The 39-year-old Neuer first tore the muscle while celebrating a goal during Bayern’s 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on March 6.
He now looks set to miss Bayern’s next Bundesliga games against St. Pauli and Augsburg, while his participation in Bayern’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Inter Milan on April 8 is doubtful.
The 21-year-old Jonas Urbig, a winter signing from Cologne, has been filling in since the Leverkusen match. He didn’t concede as Bayern comfortably progressed against its league rival, but Bayern lost 3-2 at home to relegation-threatened Bochum in the Bundesliga, then drew 1-1 with Union Berlin after an Urbig error.
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