Neuer injury as an opportunity: Is Jonas Urbig now playing his way to the World Cup? | OneFootball

Manuel Neuer’s torn muscle fibre comes at an inopportune time for FC Bayern – and at the same time opens up a completely new perspective. While the 39-year-old will have to take several weeks off, Jonas Urbig will move into the limelight, and not just in Munich

Neuer suffered a fibre tear in his left calf during the 3-0 win in Bremen. Depending on the healing process, the captain will miss around three weeks. A similar injury – to the other calf at the time – had already put him out of action for around four weeks last March. One thing is clear: Urbig will take over at a crucial stage of the season

The 22-year-old will be between the posts at least against Eintracht Frankfurt and in the Borussia Dortmund summit. The games against Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen could also fall under his responsibility. These are games with maximum attention – both nationally and internationally. Exactly the stage a goalkeeper needs to make a lasting impression

The DFB door is ajar

photo: IMAGO

The situation in the national team is particularly explosive. Manuel Neuer has recently definitively ruled out a comeback in the DFB team. At the same time, Marc-André ter Stegen’s World Cup chances have dropped drastically following his renewed thigh injury

Oliver Baumann is currently considered the number one in the DFB team, followed by Alexander Nübel, Noah Atubolu and Finn Dahmen. However, a clear hierarchy for the tournament in the summer has not yet been irrevocably established. And this is precisely where Urbig’s chance lies, as BILD reports

If the Bayern keeper puts in consistently strong performances in the coming weeks, he could work his way into national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s considerations, as the newspaper claims to have learned. He has the potential – as he proved not only with his confident substitution in Bremen, but also in his appearances so far this season. His performance in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven in particular, when he impressed with several saves, has left an impression internally

For Urbig, it’s now about more than just solid performances. It’s about charisma, presence and confidence in top matches. Whoever impresses in Dortmund, Leverkusen or against Frankfurt sends out a clear signal

Manuel Neuer’s injury is a risk for FC Bayern, but for Urbig it is an opportunity – perhaps the biggest of his young career.