Manuel Neuer was substituted after an hour of Bayern’s 5-1 Bundesliga win over Cologne. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Bayern Munich’s veteran goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer has been sidelined with a left calf injury just a week before the German Cup final, the Bundesliga club said on Sunday.

“Neuer must scale back his workload for the time being due to a muscle problem in his left calf,” Bayern said in a statement.

Bayern did not specify the length of Neuer’s absence, with the Bundesliga champion set to face Stuttgart in the Cup final in Berlin next Saturday as it aims for its 14th league and cup double.

The 40-year-old Neuer, who recently extended his contract with Bayern for another season until the summer of 2027, was substituted after an hour of Saturday’s 5-1 Bundesliga win over Cologne.

This is the third time in just a few weeks that he has been forced off, each time due to a problem in his left calf.

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Neuer retired from international football a few weeks after Euro 2024 on home soil, but speculation had been growing over a possible return for the 2026 World Cup, which begins in less than a month.

According to German media, the 2014 World Cup winner is on an extended list of 55 names submitted to FIFA earlier this week, from which coach Julian Nagelsmann will select his final squad of 23 to 26 players, as well as potential last-minute injury replacements.

Nagelsmann is expected to announce his squad on Thursday in Frankfurt.

Published on May 17, 2026