Injury Report: Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer given green light to return vs. Mainz

Manuel Neuer has not played a match of football since Germany’s 4-2 win over Costa Rica at the World Cup in Qatar last year, which was a result that was not good enough for Die Mannschaft to progress out of the group stages of the tournament. He sustained a serious leg injury on a ski trip after the World Cup and missed the remainder of Bayern Munich’s season on their way to clinching an eleventh straight Meisterschale.

Yann Sommer stood in for the remainder of the season after Bayern made a move for him in the winter transfer window, but the Swiss international has since moved on to Inter Milan and Sven Ulreich and Daniel Peretz have split all of the minutes so far this season. Bayern did keep their eyes open in the summer transfer window, but nothing wound up materializing and they instead decided to get Peretz for Maccabi Tel Aviv to act as Ulreich’s backup, knowing that Neuer would reclaim the number one spot once he returned from his lengthy injury layover. Now, it looks like that time has finally come.

Per information from German outlet kicker’s Georg Holzner (as per @iMiaSanMia), Neuer has been given the green light to take part in Bayern’s next Bundesliga clash at Mainz by the club’s doctors, as well as goalkeeping coach Michael Rechner. At this point, Neuer featuring against Mainz depends on whether or not Thomas Tuchel makes the decision to play him or not. If he does not start Neuer, Ulreich would be the natural choice to start at the MEWA Arena.

As far as a timetable is concerned, it is expected that Tuchel will make his decision shortly before kickoff against Mainz. In the past, Neuer has been rushed back from injury, causing further problems, so Tuchel has a difficult decision to make in terms of the calculated risk he potentially wants to take, given he has the blessing of Bayern’s team doctors, as well as Rechner. Either way, Neuer will accept whatever decision Tuchel makes this weekend and it is an added boost to the squad to have him back fully fit again.