Manuel Neuer Slams Rumours Accusing Ex-Bayern Doctor's Involvement in Recurring Injury

Manuel Neuer has slammed media reports that Bayern Munich's former club doctor was responsible for the niggling injuries he has suffered this season.

The goalkeeper took to his personal Facebook page to try and put an end to speculation over the issue that had done the rounds across the web on Tuesday.

In a brief statement, as reported by ESPN, Neuer condemned those who stated that Bayern's former chief of medicine had been "guilty" of contributing to the muscle issues he has picked up throughout the 2017/18 campaign thus far.

He said: "In the media today the impression is that Dr. Volker Braun was responsible for the development of my injury, since he did not apply the ideal treatment methods. 

"I am vehemently opposed to this. The former club doctor of FC Bayern is absolutely not guilty. I can even assure him that he has applied the best methods that make modern medicine possible."

Braun, who had worked with Bayern's senior, junior and youth teams, was released by the club after nine years of service on Tuesday.

Shaun Botterill/GettyImages

In a statement posted on the club's website, Dr Braun stated that it was time for him to focus on his practice and spend more time with his family, though many media outlets did not take that as gospel.

Bayern president Uli Hoeness had suggested that Dr Braun was behind the recurrence of Neuer's foot injury, which the 31-year-old originally hurt in the Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid in April.

That provided cannon fodder to reports in Germany that Dr Braun was wholeheartedly responsible for Neuer's continued first-team absence - a fact that the latter has now denied strenuously.

Neuer has only featured four times for the reigning Bundesliga champions this term after he fractured a metatarsal in training - the same problem that caused him significant pain as he soldiered on against Los Blancos seven months ago.

The Germany captain is not expected to return to the fray until mid-January, and his place in the side has been taken by understudy Sven Ulreich.