Blow for Germany and Bayern! Manuel Neuer pulls out of national team squad for March friendlies after fresh injury blow

Neuer's injury comes at a crucial juncture for both club and country. With Bayern Munich set to face Arsenal in the quarter-final of the Champions League on April 9, the absence of their experienced goalkeeper poses a significant challenge for the Bavarian giants. Prior to the Champions League clash, Bayern have domestic encounters against Borussia Dortmund and Heidenheim as they strive to close the gap on Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

The injury setback leaves Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann with limited goalkeeping options for the upcoming matches. Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Fulham's Bernd Leno, and Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann are now the primary candidates to fill the void left by Neuer's absence.

Bayern put out a statement that read: "Manuel Neuer tore a muscle fibre in his left adductor during training for the German national team. This was the result of an investigation by the DFB medical department. The FC Bayern captain is out of the upcoming international matches against France and the Netherlands and will return to Munich."

Neuer's injury history is notable, having previously suffered a leg fracture during a skiing tour in December 2022. Despite the setback, Neuer displayed remarkable resilience, returning to action in October 2023 and would have played for the first time with die Mannschaft since the World Cup 2022 exit.

As Germany prepares for crucial warm-up fixtures against France and the Netherlands, the team's focus remains on fine-tuning their preparations for Euro 2024. Their Euro 2024 campaign kicks off with a clash against Scotland in Munich on June 14, followed by encounters against Hungary in Stuttgart on June 19 and Switzerland in Frankfurt on June 23.