Bayern Munich confirm major fitness blow ahead of Arsenal Champions League clash

Bayern Munich are sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after the 37-year-old pulled out of the Germany squad through injury.

Having endured a tough season to date, Bayern face a handful of enormous fixtures after the international break, including a Bundesliga clash with Borussia Dortmund and the first leg of their Champions League semi-final away at Arsenal.

Bayern may have to tackle those games without star stopper Neuer after he was forced to withdraw from the Germany squad after picking up a muscle injury in training.

"Manuel Neuer tore a muscle fibre in his left adductor during training for the German national team," a Bayern statement read. "This was the result of an investigation by the DFB medical department. The FC Bayern captain is out of the upcoming international matches against France and the Netherlands and will return to Munich."

The German giants are also without right-back Sacha Boey, who will be sidelined for "the coming weeks" after suffering his own muscle issue in club training.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann admitted Neuer's injury absence could extend beyond the international break, revealing the 37-year-old may not be ready for the Dortmund game on March 30.

"He sustained a muscle strain in training this morning," Nagelsmann said. "In other words, he's out for the two [international] games and maybe also for Bayern against Dortmund – but that's not my job. It's very annoying."

In Neuer's absence, Bayern can turn to 35-year-old Sven Ulreich, who filled in for Neuer during the opening weeks of the season while the first-choice stopper finished his recovery from a nasty leg break.

Bayern are due at the Emirates to face Arsenal on April 9 and will have to face the game without any travelling fans after accepting a ban for supporter misconduct during the previous rounds of the competition.

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