Germany’s goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke has confirmed that Manuel Neuer will make his long-awaited return from injury in a friendly against Austria as he seeks to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup.
Speaking during a news conference at the team’s pre-tournament training camp, Kopke confirmed Neuer will be involved in some capacity when Germany play a warm-up game against their neighbors in Klagenfurt.
“As things stand, Manuel Neuer will play on Saturday. Those are the games that he needs right now. As usual, the line-ups will be determined on the go,” said Kopke.
Bayern Munich star Neuer has not played competitively since September due to a broken foot, although he has been included in Joachim Low’s provisional squad for Germany’s defense of the World Cup in Russia. The 32-year-old, who captains both his club and country and was a key member of Die Mannschaft’s successful campaign in Brazil in 2014, has returned to full training in recent weeks.