Bayern Munich’s Goalkeeper Substitution: A Precautionary Measure

omidbasir- Bayern Munich’s recent Bundesliga victory over Werder Bremen took an unexpected turn when goalkeeper Manuel Neuer did not return for the second half. Jonas Urbig took over for the final 45 minutes of the match. Head coach Vincent Kompany and sporting director Christoph Freund addressed this decision post-game.

Both professionals from Bayern clarified that Neuer’s minor calf injury is not expected to sideline him for long. Given the team’s nearly flawless performance in the 2025/26 Champions League group phase, they do not have a midweek match scheduled.

Freund elaborated in an interview with Sky Germany, stating, “There was a slight tightening [of the calf]. His substitution was merely a precautionary measure. We did not want to take any risks, but it should not be anything serious.”

Kompany further reassured fans during the post-match press conference, saying, “Manu was quite relaxed after the game. If it had been serious, he would not have rejoined his teammates on the bench during the second half. We simply wanted to err on the side of caution.”