Sven Ulreich Injury Could Force Bayern Munich Into Using Third Goalkeeper

Manuel Neuer's backup, Sven Ulreich, injured a finger during winter training camp in Doha and could miss the start to the second half of the season.

Sven Ulreich has gone for scans on a damaged a finger after suffering an injury in Bayern Munich's mid-season training camp just nine days before the club return to Bundesliga action.

Ulreich, who has stepped into the Bayern first-team for the injured Manuel Neuer, made 21 appearances in the first half of the season across all competitions, keeping eight clean sheets.

However, the former VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper could now be forced to miss the start of the second half of the season after damaging his right middle finger at the club's training camp in Doha, Qatar.

The 29-year-old joined Bayern in 2015 for just €3.5m and has gone on to represent the club on 31 occasions. 

Ulreich, who is yet to be capped by the senior German national team, is out of contract at the Allianz Arena in the summer.

Ulreich got his chance this season after Neuer, who missed the opening day of the season against Bayern Leverkusen with a metatarsal fracture, suffered the same injury after matchday four in the Bundesliga.

Neuer is expected to be back before the end of the season and will be fighting off competition for a place in Joachim Löw's World Cup squad. However, Bayern's immediate concern will now be the severity of Ulreich's injury, with any long-term damage potential forcing Bayern to enter the transfer market. 

With 36-year-old Tom Starke next in line for a place in Bayern's first-team, and promising 17-year-old goalkeeper Christian Früchtl out until later in the month, the Bavarians will be hoping that Ulreich's injury is nothing too serious.