Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer may possibly return to action in the Bundesliga against Darmstadt 98, nearly a year after suffering an injury. Neuer, who is 37 years old, broke his leg during a skiing vacation following Germany’s elimination from the World Cup in December. He underwent surgery and has been diligently working on his recovery through intensive training sessions. He did not join Bayern’s Champions League match against Galatasaray in Istanbul to focus on training, and a rumored return to the league last week did not come to fruition.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel is hesitant to confirm Neuer’s return this week, but the player himself is eager to get back on the field, aiming to reclaim his position as Germany’s number one goalkeeper in preparation for the European Championship next year, which is taking place in Germany. Neuer’s last Bundesliga game was on November 12, before Germany’s journey to the World Cup in Qatar. His most recent competitive match was against Costa Rica on December 1 during that tournament.
The highly experienced Neuer, who has earned 117 caps for Germany and was part of the 2014 World Cup-winning team, has been the national team’s preferred goalkeeper for over 13 years. However, his position is currently occupied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Barcelona. Neuer has also relinquished the Germany captain’s armband to Ilkay Gundogan, with coach Julian Nagelsmann confirming that Gundogan will remain captain even if Neuer returns.
“We need to wait and see,” commented Bayern’s Tuchel when asked about Neuer’s potential return this week. “We have to discuss it with Manuel. It’s evident that he wants to play.”
If Neuer makes a comeback for Bayern, veteran goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, who has performed exceptionally well in Neuer’s absence, will resume his role as the backup keeper. Ulreich stated last week, “Being on the pitch is always fantastic, there’s no question about it. However, my role at Bayern is also clear. When Manuel is fit, he will play.”
Currently, Bayern is in third place in the Bundesliga with 20 points, just two points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen and one point behind second-placed VfB Stuttgart. They have won all three of their Champions League group matches and remain unbeaten in the league. A victory against Darmstadt, who are in 12th place, could temporarily propel Bayern to the top of the league standings. Leverkusen, who are also undefeated, will face Freiburg on Sunday. Borussia Dortmund, also on 20 points, will also play on Sunday against Eintracht Frankfurt.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
