Bayern Suffer Neuer Blow Ahead of Champions League Clash With Viking

Bayern Munich will be without captain Manuel Neuer for their Champions League game away to Viking FK after the veteran goalkeeper picked up a foot problem, and Jonas Urbig is set to take his place in goal.

Head coach Vincent Kompany confirmed the news at his pre-match briefing, as quoted by Kicker. Neuer felt something in his foot during the 2-2 draw with Augsburg at the weekend and could not train in the final sessions before the trip to Norway. 

“Manuel can’t train today. He’s felt something in his foot. So that quickly answers the question of who will be in goal tomorrow,” Kompany said.

He was not sure the 40-year-old would even travel. “We heard after the Augsburg game that he’d felt something. You never know how long it’ll take, but given he couldn’t train yesterday or today, it makes no sense to take any unnecessary risks. I don’t know if he’ll be in the squad tomorrow. Will he start? Very likely he won’t. Then we’ll look ahead,” he said.

Kompany stressed that the call is about playing it safe. The club first thought Neuer could train, but the pain did not go away. 

“Manu is here because of how the situation has progressed. We thought he could train today. I don’t want to call it an injury, but when you feel something and it doesn’t get better. At some point you realise we need to do something, and we’ll do that by taking no risk if he doesn’t feel 100 percent,” he said.

The injury means Neuer misses what would have been his 163rd Champions League appearance, which would have put him just behind the records held by Iker Casillas and Cristiano Ronaldo. He recently faced criticism for his part in the fastest goal ever conceded in the Bundesliga.

Urbig will make his third appearance of the season. The young keeper joined from Koln and made his senior debut for Germany during the international break. Kompany said his progress has been right on plan. 

“We’re on track – he’s received the minutes we wanted to give him for his development. He’s played in a cup final, several Champions League matches. His current call-up to the national team is a direct result of this progress. And every minute is beneficial for his development,” he said.

Neuer is not the only big name out. Jamal Musiala is also missing with a thigh injury, which leaves Bayern short of two of their key leaders for the game at the SR-Bank Arena. Viking, meanwhile, have said they feel ready to face a Harry Kane-led attack.