Injury worse than first feared for Neuer as diagnosis confirmed

Tests have confirmed that Manuel Neuer has suffered a muscle fibre tear in his calf, dealing Bayern Munich an untimely setback.

The 39-year-old was withdrawn at half-time during Bayern’s 3-0 Bundesliga victory over Werder Bremen on Sunday, with Jonas Urbig introduced in his place. Initial concerns have now been validated, with Sky Germany reporting that scans revealed a muscle fibre tear in his calf which will sideline the goalkeeper for the foreseeable future.

Urbig will step up as Bayern’s number one while Neuer recovers, starting with the upcoming home fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt. Neuer is certain to miss that encounter, while his availability for Der Klassiker the following week remains in serious doubt.

Despite his age, Neuer has once again been a key figure for Bayern this season, making 27 appearances in all competitions and keeping eight clean sheets.