FC Bayern’s Manuel Neuer’s suffering may be coming to an end. As the new sports director Christoph Freund explained on “Amazon Prime” on Tuesday evening on the sidelines of the Champions League game at FC Copenhagen, a return after the international break is possible.
Bayern Munich’s sporting director Christoph Freund would “not rule out” goalkeeper Manuel Neuer being back in head coach Thomas Tuchel’s squad on the next matchday of the Champions League.
On October 24th, the German record champions will host the Turkish representatives Galatasaray. Three days earlier, Bayern face FSV Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga.
“It’s looking good for Manu,” said the Austrian. Neuer has already “trained with the team two or three times and hasn’t had any problems, but we’re all careful.” Last Thursday, the goalkeeper was able to train with his Bayern colleagues again for the first time.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel also commented on the possible return of his goalkeeper. After the game in Copenhagen, the 50-year-old explained that Neuer had already made a very good impression in training.
“It looked very good recently,” he confirmed after the game: “I was very impressed by the last few sessions, by his aura and quality, it looked very good. But I don’t want to put a backpack on him and make predictions that I has to take it back. Manu decides that himself in the end.”
Stress control in FC Bayern training
It is now “very important” to control the load. “But if things continue like this over the next ten days, we hope to see him back on the pitch in the stadium soon.”
The 37-year-old goalkeeper’s comeback has been repeatedly delayed in recent weeks. After breaking his leg on a private ski tour last December, hopes were high that Neuer could be back in FC Bayern’s fold at the start of the season.
At the end of July, however, Neuer had to have an operation to remove a piece of metal from his right fibula, which delayed his rehab.
The long-time DFB captain was initially represented in the Munich goal by winter newcomer Yann Sommer. The Swiss moved to Inter Milan six months later, which moved Sven Ulreich between the posts. The Israeli Daniel Peretz was hired as a replacement.