MUNICH — Bayern Munich’s seasoned goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, faces an unforeseen period on the bench following an injury sustained while celebrating a goal in their recent Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
On Thursday, Bayern announced that the 38-year-old Neuer had suffered a muscle fiber tear in his right calf. While the club did not specify the duration of his absence, they confirmed Neuer would be sidelined for an unspecified period.
The injury occurred in the 58th minute of Bayern’s 3-0 triumph during the first leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter. Neuer’s injury came right after he attempted to celebrate Jamal Musiala’s goal, Bayern’s second of the match, which resulted in his discomfort.
Teammate Joshua Kimmich humorously remarked, “Manu wanted to run – and then his calf went. He’d already said he was getting old.”
Neuer’s replacement for the remainder of the match was 21-year-old Jonas Urbig, a winter acquisition from Cologne. Urbig, who made his debut for Bayern, is poised to feature in his first Bundesliga game on Saturday when Bayern takes on Bochum.
This incident marks another game-ending encounter for Neuer against Leverkusen this season. In December, during a German Cup clash, Neuer received his first-ever red card, forcing him off the field as Leverkusen secured a 1-0 victory.
Neuer is no stranger to unusual injuries. In December 2022, he had a leg fracture from a skiing accident after the World Cup, which sidelined him for the remainder of that season. He made his return in October 2023 with an 8-0 victory over Darmstadt.
Wednesday’s match marked the first win for Bayern against a Leverkusen side, now coached by Xabi Alonso, after seven attempts. The highly anticipated second leg of the tie is scheduled for Tuesday.
