Bayern keeper Neuer to travel to Berlin, Sane and Hernandez back
- Football
- DPA
- Published Date: 09:56 | 05 November 2022
- Modified Date: 09:56 | 05 November 2022
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will travel with the squad for the Bundesliga game at Hertha Berlin on Saturday after recovering from a shoulder injury.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann told a news conference on Friday that Neuer will play "if the final training goes well," and said that winger Leroy Sane and defender Lucas Hernandez are also back in the squad.
"They won't be in the starting team, but we'll have them as options on the bench," Nagelsmann said.
The keeper said after completing his first training session with the team that he was feeling good and would likely play against Hertha.
He added that nothing stands in the way of a World Cup participation "if I can do everything normally, be out there training with the team and hopefully play again soon."
Neuer missed Bayern's last seven games due to the injury and expects a quick return to action with just over two weeks left until the start of the World Cup in Qatar.
Hernandez had been sidelined since September due to a torn muscle bundle, while Sane had been out since mid-October because of a torn muscle fibre.
Nagelsmann, however, won't have midfielder Thomas Müller and defender Matthijs de Ligt for the trip to Berlin.
"Matthijs' knee reacted badly again yesterday. Thomas can hopefully return next week. Otherwise, we've got no other absentees," the coach said.
Müller has been plagued by different issues lately, while de Ligt has been dealing with a minor ligament strain.
Bayern are second in the Bundesliga standings, one point behind Hertha city rivals and leaders Union Berlin.
Talking about the mid-week matchday in the Champions League and the Europa League, Nagelsamnn said that "good that so many German teams have made the next round."
For Bayern's last 16 matchup in the Champions League, he said he will "be happy with any draw. There are very few teams that will want to play against us."
Bayern could face Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Club Brugge or AC Milan in the next round.