Update: Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer will be out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery

Bayern Munich have just dropped a bombshell on us fans. To the dismay of every single person that follows this club, it looks like Manuel Neuer will be out for the next several weeks following a successful surgery on his right knee. No info on why Neuer needed the surgery or how long it will take for him to get back, but he will almost certainly miss Bayern’s upcoming Champions League clash against RB Salzburg later this month.

Here’s the official news:

In Neuer’s absence, Thomas Muller will likely don the captain’s armband while Sven Ulreich takes charge between the sticks. This won’t be the first time for either of them — they both filled in for Neuer when he spent almost a full year recovering from two successive foot injuries. Hopefully, this new injury won’t be anywhere near as serious as that.

By a cruel twist of fate, this injury takes place just days after the January transfer window closed. If it had happened a week ago, Bayern could’ve recalled Alexander Nubel from his loan at AS Monaco. As it stands though, Nubel may never get a chance to stand in for Neuer like he was originally brought in to do — reports indicate that the young German keeper will be sold next summer.

For Julian Nagelsmann and the entire Bayern Munich fanbase, losing Neuer will be a massive blow. The team is already struggling from long-term injuries to both Alphonso Davies and Leon Goretzka, and the absence of Neuer will only exacerbate Bayern’s defensive issues. Hopefully, the Bayern captain recovers as soon as possible, and we see him back on the pitch before the latter stages of the Champions League roll around. Anyone who remembers Neuer’s heroics in the 2020 UCL final knows how important he can be.

Update

Per Bild, Neuer is looking at a recovery time of 4-6 weeks. He risks missing the whole Round of 16 as well as possibly the first leg of the UCL quarter finals.

In case you’re looking for some more Bayern Munich content, why not check out our postgame podcast? We talk extensively about RB Leipzig game, including the issues with the defense — which will no doubt get worse now that Neuer is injured. Listen to it below or at this link.

As always, thanks for listening and we appreciate all the support!