Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann said on Friday he does not know when captain Manuel Neuer will return from a shoulder injury as the goalkeeper’s World Cup prospects appear in serious doubt. Germany’s Neuer last played for Bayern on October 8 in their 2-2 away draw against Borussia Dortmund.
“ I d o n’ t know because I’m not a clairvoyant,” Nagelsmann told reporters when asked when Neuer would return. “I’m not assuming he won’t be able to play at the World Cup. I’m firmly assuming he will — but I’m not a clairvoyant. If he still has persistent pain in five weeks, then he won’t play in it.”
Germany play their first match in the Qatar World Cup against Japan on November 23. Nagelsmann said he hoped the 36-year-old’s “stupid shoulder” would heal soon enough for him to play at Hertha Berlin in just over a week’s time. “We would like him to play again as soon as possible. We are working so he can come back the weekend of next week, but I don’t know.”
In Spain champions Real Madrid will host modest Girona on Sunday. They are on top of the La Liga standings on 31 points, three ahead of Barcelona who travel to Valencia on Saturday. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is expected to bring back into action several regular starters like Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Federico Valverde who did not play against Leipzig. Real looked stale during the 3-2 loss to the German team.
