Neuer suffers partial ligament tear in foot, Bayern gives no return date

The match in Mainz hadn't even reached halftime when Manuel Neuer reached down for his right foot. Something wasn't right, and the pained look on his face left little doubt. Bayern Munich went on to win 2-1 that Saturday, but the good news didn't last long: on Sunday the club confirmed that its captain had suffered a partial ligament tear in his right foot and would be out of action "for the time being."

That's how Bayern chose to break the news, with no firm timeline for his return. No exact deadlines, no weeks counted out, just confirmation that the injury is real and that Neuer won't be able to help the team while he recovers.

"Manuel Neuer will be out for FC Bayern for the time being," the club said in its statement. It added a key detail: "The captain suffered a partial tendon tear in his right foot during the German champions' 2-1 win over 1.FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday, according to an examination by FC Bayern's medical staff." Neuer had to be substituted shortly before halftime in that match.

His replacement was Jonas Urbig, which is no longer any surprise at this point in the season. The young goalkeeper, 23 years old, has had to step in for the veteran captain several times already and is seen within the club as his natural successor between the posts in Bavaria. This latest absence for Neuer opens up yet another window for him to prove he can hold down the job long term.

This isn't the only setback Bayern have dealt with so far this season. Before this latest blow, the team had already been grappling with Vincent Kompany's health, after he collapsed during a training session and was hospitalized with meningeal irritation, an inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

As for playing time, Neuer's season had already been limited even before the injury: just five appearances in the Bundesliga. Urbig, for his part, also has five, counting the one he had to finish as a substitute this Saturday in Mainz.

There was, however, one bittersweet note amid all of this. Before going off injured, Neuer became the oldest player in Bundesliga history to wear the Bayern jersey, having turned 40 years and 225 days old on the day of the match. A milestone worth remembering, overshadowed by the pain in his foot and by the uncertainty over how long it will be before he's back between the posts.