Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn knows a thing or two about goalkeeping — and managing the wear and tear that comes with it. Bayern’s lion between the sticks from 1994-2008, Kahn is one of the all-timers. After current #1 keeper Manuel Neuer missed another match against Mainz 05, the club executive shared some insights on what Neuer is dealing with right now.
“A shoulder injury is of course very, very painful,” Kahn said (via Az’s Maximilian Koch). “You have to deal with it intelligently and be careful not to put stress on it too early. But Manu is so experienced, he knows exactly how to deal with his body.”
Neuer, who suffered the injury in training prior to Der Klassiker on October 8th, initially used painkillers to get through the Borussia Dortmund game, which coach Julian Nagelsmann later admitted was probably “too early.”
Fortunately, there’s still some time for him to listen to what his body tells him and make his return slowly in advance of the World Cup. Per kicker, his status for the tournament is not currently questioned:
But the World Cup is coming soon, and it remains to be seen how much match fitness he’ll be able to regain before then.
Interested in more analysis of the game? We talk about the tactical changes Julian Nagelsmann has made to make Bayern Munich so much more threatening in our postgame podcast. Listen to it below or on Spotify.
As always, we appreciate all the support!