Blow for Germany as Manuel Neuer ruled out of Euro 2024 warmups with thigh injury

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been ruled out of the team’s friendlies against France and the Netherlands because of a thigh injury.

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper left the team camp Wednesday with a muscle fiber tear in his left adductor sustained in training that morning, the German soccer federation said.

It does not say how long Neuer will miss. Bayern plays Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on March 30, and it faces Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on April 9.

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is almost certain to make Barcelona's Marc-André ter Stegen his No. 1 in Neuer’s absence. It had been reported that Nagelsmann was favoring the 37-year-old Neuer between the posts for the European Championship, which Germany is hosting.

Neuer hasn’t played for Germany since the 2022 World Cup after breaking his leg in a skiing accident shortly after returning from the tournament. He has since recovered from that injury after more than 10 months out of the game and had reestablished himself as Bayern’s No. 1.

Germany plays France in Lyon on Saturday, then the Netherlands in Frankfurt on Tuesday. It will play Ukraine and Greece in its final warmup games for Euro 2024.

Germany opens its campaign against Scotland in Munich on June 14, followed by Hungary in Stuttgart on June 19 and Switzerland in Frankfurt on June 23.