Manuel Neuer will not feature when Bayern Munich take on Stuttgart in today’s German Cup final after picking up a calf strain, a fresh blow for the veteran goalkeeper.
Bayern confirmed on Friday that Neuer is left out of the 21-man travelling party heading to the German capital for the showpiece match, citing his inability to recover from the injury in time.
Neuer, now 40, returned to Germany duty on Thursday in a surprise move, coming back to international football two years after announcing his retirement from the national team. His comeback came with the aim of playing in a fifth World Cup.
Quick facts
- Manuel Neuer has been ruled out of Bayern’s German Cup final vs Stuttgart due to a calf strain.
- Bayern left Neuer out of the 21-man squad travelling to the German capital for the final.
- Neuer returned to Germany’s World Cup squad on Thursday after announcing international retirement two years earlier.
- He was named man of the match in Bayern’s 2-1 Champions League quarter-final win away at Real Madrid in April.
- Neuer’s calf issue has been linked to a recurrence in the same leg he previously injured in a 2022 skiing accident.
- He was substituted after 60 minutes in Bayern’s last Bundesliga match on Saturday due to the problem in the same calf muscle.
- Jonas Urbig will replace Neuer and will also accompany the Germany squad this summer as a practice goalkeeper.
Neuer’s absence comes despite a strong run of form this season, with the goalkeeper still producing high-level performances. However, he has also missed multiple matches due to injury, including the setback that has now resurfaced.
The 2014 World Cup winner has been dealing with the repeat of a calf problem in the same leg he broke in a skiing accident in 2022, with the current strain tied to that earlier injury.
In Bayern’s final Bundesliga outing last Saturday, Neuer was taken off after 60 minutes because of the issue affecting the same calf muscle. He will now be replaced by Jonas Urbig, who will travel with the Germany setup this summer as a practice goalkeeper.
