Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich said Sunday that their goalkeeper Manuel Neuer would be out of action for “the coming weeks” after undergoing knee surgery.
The club did not specify how long the 35-year-old would be sidelined, but he is expected to miss Bayern’s Champions League last-16 clash with RB Salzburg on Feburary 16.
“All of us in the club and the team wish Manuel a good and speedy recovery, and we’re sure he’ll be back to full fitness with us soon,” said Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.
Neuer himself struck a positive tone in an Instagram post from his hospital bed, telling followers that the operation had gone well and that he could be back on the pitch “in a couple of weeks”.
News of his operation came as a surprise, with the announcement coming just 24 hours after the Bayern keeper’s record-equalling appearance against RB Leipzig on Saturday.
The 3-2 win over Leipzig was Neuer’s 310th Bundesliga victory, drawing him level in the all-time list with predecessor and current Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn.
