Neuer faces German Cup fitness race and possible World Cup recall | OneFootball

Manuel Neuer faces a pivotal week, racing to shake off a calf issue for Saturday’s German Cup final against VfB Stuttgart at the Olympiastadion in Berlin while awaiting a possible fifth straight World Cup call-up.

The Bayern captain suffered the problem in the 5-1 league win over Cologne and is pushing to be ready. He signed a one-year extension last week to stay until June 2027. According to L'Équipe, Germany will announce their squad at 13:00 on Thursday and Neuer is very close to a recall after making the DFB’s 55-man long list, with standout displays at Real Madrid, 2-1, and against PSG in the semi-final second leg, 1-1, possibly prompting Julian Nagelsmann to revisit his goalkeeping hierarchy.

Neuer has spoken several times in recent days with Nagelsmann and Rudi Völler, the national team’s general manager, who has helped repair relations between the pair after tensions at Bayern from 2021 to 2023 and with Germany at Euro 2024. After that tournament, Neuer decided to end his international career.

In Frankfurt on Thursday, Nagelsmann could name four goalkeepers, three from Bayern, Neuer, Urbig and Nübel, who remain under contract, plus Oliver Baumann.

Baumann, number one for a year and long expected to start at the next World Cup, was told by Nagelsmann on Tuesday lunchtime that he would be only a substitute. It remains to be seen whether the 35-year-old will step aside.

Source: L'Équipe