FC Bayern will have to do without Manuel Neuer in the DFB Cup final against VfB Stuttgart. The 40-year-old will miss the final in Berlin due to injury
According to Sky Sport, the Bayern captain will not make it in time for the final in the Olympic Stadium due to his ongoing calf problems
Jonas Urbig will therefore be in goal for the German record champions on Saturday evening
Neuer does not want to „take any risks“
The problems were already apparent last weekend
In the 5-1 win against 1. FC Köln, Neuer had to be substituted after around an hour. Immediately after the game, the national keeper explained that he had felt discomfort in his calf
„I felt something in my calf and I didn’t want to take any risks now – also because of next week,“ said Neuer on the Sky microphone at the time
It is now clear that the Bayern captain will not be fit in time for the cup final
Neuer also absent from the press conference
The 40-year-old will also not take part in today’s press conference, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sport from 17:30
The Bayern legend will be replaced by Joshua Kimmich and coach Vincent Kompany
According to Sky Sport, Neuer’s healing process is basically progressing very positively, although there is still a certain residual risk
It is precisely this risk that the 2014 world champion does not want to take – also with a view to the upcoming World Cup with the German national team
Urbig gets his big stage
For Jonas Urbig, this means the biggest assignment of his young career to date
The 22-year-old will play his first competitive final match for FC Bayern in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. Urbig is already highly trusted internally and is seen as the long-term successor to Manuel Neuer
Most recently, the keeper was even nominated as an additional training goalkeeper for the World Cup by national coach Julian Nagelsmann
New concerns ahead of the World Cup
However, the renewed calf problems are not only causing concern at FC Bayern
The DFB is also likely to be keeping a close eye on the situation, with Nagelsmann only officially confirming on Thursday that Neuer will be Germany’s number one at the World Cup
Now it remains to be seen how quickly the veteran will be fully fit again
One thing is clear, however: the record champions will have to make do without their long-standing regular goalkeeper in the cup final against VfB Stuttgart.