Sven Ulreich made his first competitive appearance for Bayern Munich in roughly 18 months for the dramatic 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen over the weekend. The veteran keeper was called upon due to current injuries to both Manuel Neuer and Jonas Urbig and U-19 keeper Leonard Prescott was also listed on the bench for the draw with Die Werkself to serve as Ulreich’s backup for the occasion.
As fate would have it, even Ulreich complained of some discomfort in his thigh after the draw with Leverkusen and
Bayern now faces a bit of a goalkeeper conundrum as all of their senior keepers are currently out injured. There was always a risk of Ulreich getting some sort of knock or muscular discomfort after going so long without a competitive appearance, but he can hardly be to blame with the personnal matters he went through last season that kept him out of action for so long.
Current injuries aside, Ulreich has recently said that he can fully imagine himself staying at Bayern for at least another season. His current contract is set to expire this summer, but much like Neuer, he is feeling comfortable in the fact that he would like to stay at the club for at least another year.
“I can easily imagine playing another year. The role I have in the goalkeeping team suits me and I’m enjoying it. But it’s not solely my decision. Others [the people in charge] have a bit more influence,” Ulreich explained after the draw at Leverkusen (via @iMiaSanMia).
Regardless of what winds up happening elsewhere in the keeper’s department at Bayern, it would more than likely be mutually understood that Ulreich would only be a backup choice, if not third string, if he winds up extending his contract. At this juncture, it’s still not entirely clear what Neuer plans on doing as the club is waiting to have discussions with him until after his 40th birthday later this month and they are planning to have Urbig be the number one keeper should Neuer decide not to renew his contract. If that does wind up being the case and Neuer winds up leaving this summer, the club is also prepared to try to bring in another keeper to serve at Urbig’s backup.
