As the German giants announced on Monday, December 15, its 39-year-old Bayern Munich goalkeeper and football legend Manuel Neuer tore a muscle in his right thigh during the previous day’s match against Mainz 05.
He therefore missed the Sunday, December 21 match against 1. FC Heidenheim, the last before the winter break. As a result, Jonas Urbig, Neuer’s backup, will get the start in the game. This presents a good opportunity to examine the dilemma surrounding Bayern Munich’s goalkeeping future.
Neuer’s Contributions to Bayern
Neuer has proven himself to be a very good goalkeeper, despite his age and the numerous injuries that have plagued him in recent years. Having said that, though it is clear that he is no longer the player he was a decade ago, and that he cannot continue playing forever.
The former German international has five clean sheets from his 12 Bundesliga appearances this season. He is the undisputed captain of the team and leader of coach Vincent Kompany’s side. Neuer has been a valuable servant to the club in a way that few others have.
He is in the same category as Thomas Müller, or Sepp Maier, when it comes to what place in the history of the great Bavarian club he will occupy, when he inevitably one day ends his illustrious career, or, for that matter, continues it elsewhere.
In fact, Neuer is one of only three Bayern Munich goalkeepers in history who have won the UEFA Champions League/ European Cup, along with Oliver Kahn and the aforementioned Maier.
He and Maier were the only two to win it on more than one occasion. But that doesn’t secure the team’s future in that position.
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Bayern Munich Goalkeepers: A Lot of Uncertainty Regarding the Future
Time eventually catches up to all of us, even to the most legendary athletes. The club have not really fully grappled with that reality; they haven’t brought in a seasoned veteran keeper. Instead, they bought Urbig from the second-tier Koln, with hopes that he may grow into that role.
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that; it’s the Bayern Munich way of doing business, which has proven critics wrong for decades, including yours truly. It’s just that Urbig can’t become Neuer overnight. He needs playing time to get to that level.
That is something that the youngster hasn’t gotten much of. Last season, shortly after Urbig’s arrival, Neuer’s injury threw Urbig into the lion’s den immediately. He did fairly well under pressure.
But this season, the 22-year-old shot stopper has not gotten many chances to prove himself. Sure, due to Neuer’s suspension in the first two rounds of the DFB Cup, Urbig got those games, and two in the Bundesliga, but that won’t be enough. He needs more time and more experience to grow.
A Bad Precedent
There was a time in Bayern history, between the great eras of Kahn and Neuer, where the Bavarians really struggled with the keeper position.
When Kahn retired in 2008, young Michael Rensing was chosen to be the Bayern Munich goalkeeper for the future, but the team instead disappeared from the map when it came to Europe’s great clubs, and domestic domination ended briefly with that too.
That is not to say that the same thing will happen with Urbig, but it is a reason for caution.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / kolbert-press
Recording Date: 14.12.2025
