Latest Neuer injury ‘no danger’ for World Cup, say Bayern

The veteran goalkeeper is not among Bayern’s 21-man squad making the trip to Berlin for Saturday’s German Cup final clash with Stuttgart, having failed to recover from a recurring left calf injury.

The 40-year-old made a surprise return to Germany’s World Cup squad on Thursday, coming back two years after announcing his international retirement.

And Eberl believes the latest injury will not derail his hopes of playing in a fifth World Cup.

“The World Cup is not in danger, but he cannot play tomorrow,” Eberl said at an event in Berlin on Friday. “It is simply too soon after the injury.”

“We made this decision together, however difficult it is for Manu to agree to sit out the final,” Eberl continued.

At the same event, Joachim Loew, who coached Germany and Neuer to World Cup glory in Brazil in 2014, backed the decision to bring the veteran back into the fold.

“It is a very good decision,” Loew said in Berlin, calling Neuer “a defining personality in the team”.

“Manu knows what these tournaments are like. He has experience.”

Named man of the match in Bayern’s 2-1 win away at Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals in April, Neuer has continued to play at a high level this season but has missed several games through injury.

Neuer has been troubled by the recurrence of a calf injury in the same leg he broke in a skiing accident in 2022.

He was subbed out with 60 minutes played in Bayern’s final Bundesliga game last Saturday with a problem in the same calf muscle.

Neuer will be replaced by understudy Jonas Urbig, who will also accompany the Germany squad this summer as a practice goalkeeper.

Bundesliga winners in mid-April, Bayern can win a record-extending 14th double by beating Stuttgart in the German capital on Saturday.