Manuel Neuer will miss Germany’s friendly match against Finland, delaying his return to the national team. Oliver Baumann will start in goal. This article from SPOX explains why Germany’s number one is sidelined and when he will be available again.
Germany has two test matches remaining before the World Cup. The first is on Sunday, May 31st, against Finland at the MEWA Arena in Mainz, kicking off at 8:45 PM. However, the German national team will be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer of FC Bayern Munich.
SPOX provides details on why Oliver Baumann is playing instead of Neuer and the expected duration of the goalkeeper’s absence.
Germany’s Squad and Lineup vs. Finland: Injury or Suspension? Why Oliver Baumann Starts Over Manuel Neuer and How Long the Goalkeeper Will Be Out
Neuer had missed the DFB-Pokal final between his club, FC Bayern Munich, and VfB Stuttgart due to a left calf injury. For the test match against Finland, Julian Nagelsmann wants to avoid taking any unnecessary risks.
«We, in the coaching team, have decided that he will not play yet. There’s no point in pushing him unnecessarily now. We want to give him more time to recover. We have communicated this decision to him, and he is completely in agreement,» said the national coach on Wednesday.
Oliver Baumann will replace him, having long been considered the primary choice for the World Cup. However, Neuer’s decision to reverse his retirement has fundamentally altered the situation in the German goal.
Nagelsmann did not confirm whether the 40-year-old will be fit for the test match against World Cup hosts USA on June 6th. It’s possible that Neuer’s comeback for the DFB team could be postponed until the World Cup opener.
Germany: Injury or Suspension? Why Oliver Baumann Starts Over Manuel Neuer and How Long the Goalkeeper Will Be Out — Probable Lineup
In addition to Neuer, the German national team will also be without Kai Havertz against Finland. The offensive player will join the DFB team later as he was involved in the Champions League final with FC Arsenal against PSG on Saturday, May 30th.
The probable lineup for Germany is as follows:
- DFB Team: Baumann — Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Raum — Pavlovic, Goretzka — Leweling, Musiala, Wirtz — Havertz
Germany: Injury or Suspension? Why Oliver Baumann Starts Over Manuel Neuer and How Long the Goalkeeper Will Be Out — German World Cup Squad
| Position | Player | Club | Jersey Number |
| Goalkeeper | Oliver Baumann | TSG Hoffenheim | 12 |
| Goalkeeper | Manuel Neuer | FC Bayern Munich | 1 |
| Goalkeeper | Alexander Nübel | VfB Stuttgart | 21 |
| Defender | Waldemar Anton | Borussia Dortmund | 3 |
| Defender | Nathaniel Brown | Eintracht Frankfurt | 18 |
| Defender | Pascal Groß | Brighton & Hove Albion | 13 |
| Defender | Joshua Kimmich | FC Bayern Munich | 6 |
| Defender | Felix Nmecha | Borussia Dortmund | 23 |
| Defender | Felix Pavlovic | FC Bayern Munich | 5 |
| Defender | David Raum | RB Leipzig | 22 |
| Defender | Antonio Rüdiger | Real Madrid | 2 |
| Defender | Nico Schlotterbeck | Borussia Dortmund | 15 |
| Defender | Angelo Stiller | VfB Stuttgart | 16 |
| Defender | Jonathan Tah | FC Bayern Munich | 4 |
| Defender | Malick Thiaw | Newcastle United | 24 |
| Forward | Nadiem Amiri | Mainz 05 | 20 |
| Forward | Maximilian Beier | Borussia Dortmund | 14 |
| Forward | Leon Goretzka | FC Bayern Munich | 8 |
| Forward | Kai Havertz | FC Arsenal | 7 |
| Forward | Lennart Karl | FC Bayern Munich | 25 |
| Forward | Jamie Leweling | VfB Stuttgart | 9 |
| Forward | Jamal Musiala | FC Bayern Munich | 10 |
| Forward | Leroy Sane | Galatasaray Istanbul | 19 |
| Forward | Deniz Undav | VfB Stuttgart | 26 |
| Forward | Florian Wirtz | FC Liverpool | 17 |
| Forward | Nick Woltemade | Newcastle United | 11 |
Germany: Injury or Suspension? Why Oliver Baumann Starts Over Manuel Neuer and How Long the Goalkeeper Will Be Out — Broadcast and Key Information
The broadcast of Germany vs. Finland will be handled by ZDF. In addition to the free-to-air TV broadcast, the public broadcaster will also provide a free live stream.
- Event: Friendly Match
- Matchup: Germany vs. Finland
- Venue: MEWA Arena, Mainz
- Kick-off: 8:45 PM
- TV Broadcast: ZDF
- Live Stream Broadcast: sportstudio.de
Germany: Injury or Suspension? Why Oliver Baumann Starts Over Manuel Neuer and How Long the Goalkeeper Will Be Out — Upcoming Fixtures
| Date | Time | Fixture | Location |
| June 6 | 8:30 PM | World Cup Test vs. USA | Chicago |
| June 8 | Move to World Cup Quarters (The Graylyn Estate in Winston-Salem) | North Carolina | |
| June 14 | 7:00 PM | World Cup Group Match vs. Curaçao | Houston |
| June 20 | 10:00 PM | World Cup Group Match vs. Ivory Coast | Toronto |
| June 25 | 10:00 PM | World Cup Group Match vs. Ecuador | East Rutherford |