Neuer back in goal when Bayern face tricky Cup date at Union Berlin

Manuel Neuer will return between the posts when Bayern Munich face a difficult German Cup third round trip at Union Berlin on Wednesday, coach Vincent Kompany has said.

Neuer, 39, was suspended for the first two rounds after being red-carded in their second round defeat against Bayer Leverkusen last season, with Jonas Urbig taking his place in the first games against Wehen Wiesbaden and Cologne this term.

"Manu will be in goal again," Kompany said after Saturday's hard-earned 3-1 Bundesliga win over St Pauli.

Kompany added that "we didn'd have any talks regarding a Cup goalkeeper", something some other clubs do. He said that despite the decision "the integration of Jonas will continue according to plan."

Bayern are record German Cup winners with 20 titles but have underperformed since the last trophy in 2020, not going beyond the quarter-finals.

"It is like a final. We want to hibernate [in the Cup]. Everyone knows how important that is for us," sporting director Christoph Freund said, looking ahead at the date with Union.

Union are the only team to take points off Bayern in the Bundesliga season in a recent 2-2 draw, with Harry Kane getting a late Bayern equalizer after the team had won their first 18 matches of the season across all competitions.

The trend has continued since then as Bayern trailed Freiburg 2-0 before winning 6-2, lost 3-1 in the Champions League at Arsenal for their first season defeat, and needed stoppage time goals from the lively Luiz Diaz and Nicolas Jackson to hold off lowly St Pauli.

Bayern rather saw the positives, saying that the team has now scored an unrivalled 12 goals in the last 15 minutes of a match.

"That shows the team’s morale and that they believe in themselves and can turn things around in the end,” club president Herbert Hainer said.

Kompany said: "Such victories are part of a season, it gives us confidence. A huge compliment to the lads, we always carry on. We’ll need the feeling this season.”