Manuel Neuer will make his return to Bayern’s goals on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) at home against Darmstadt, for the 9th day of the championship, almost a year after his serious right knee injury, Munich coach Thomas Tuchel announced on Friday.
On December 9, 2022, eight days after his last official match to date with Germany at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (a 4-2 success against Costa Rica insufficient to reach the round of 16), Neuer (37) was seriously injured in a skiing accident in the Bavarian Alps.
“If nothing happens in training, you! You! You! (German formula for good luck, Editor’s note), he will play tomorrow,” declared Thomas Tuchel, during a traditional press briefing on the eve of the Bundesliga match, touching the wood of the table in front of him.
“He is happy, we are happy, others are probably also happy,” added the Munich technician with a broad smile on his face.
The last match played by Manuel Neuer in Bavarian colors dates back to November 12, 2022, a trip to Gelsenkirchen to face Schalke 04 (2-0 victory).
Victim of a “fracture of the lower part” of the right leg (some German media mentioned a double open tibia/fibula fracture) on December 9, 2022, Neuer was operated on the next day.
Initially, he hoped to return for Munich’s summer preparation in mid-July, but his rehabilitation took longer than expected.
“It’s already a special situation, it’s been a long time without (a match). I feel his joy, but also all his class. He has enormous experience, it’s a new situation, but these situations are also there to be experienced,” added Tuchel.
From January to the end of May, the interim was provided by the Swiss Yann Sommer, recruited in the winter of 2022/23 and left for Inter Milan in the summer of 2023. Since the start of the season, it has been Sven Ulreich who kept the goals for Bayern.
At 37, Neuer is embarking on one of the last challenges of his immense career: returning to his best level for Euro-2024 (June 14-July 14) at home. In the selection, he faces competition from Marc-André ter Stegen, an indisputable starter at FC Barcelona and very good for several months with the Blaugrana.
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