Kompany Announces Urbig as Stand-in Keeper Set to Make Bundesliga Debut for Bayern Against Bochum

Jonas Urbig, Bayern Munich’s third-choice goalkeeper, is set to make his Bundesliga debut this Saturday as the team prepares to face VfL Bochum, with both Manuel Neuer and Daniel Peretz sidelined due to injury, coach Vincent Kompany confirmed.

Neuer sustained a calf muscle tear while celebrating a goal during Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League’s round of 16. He was replaced by the 21-year-old Urbig, who also made his debut for the club.

Meanwhile, backup goalkeeper Peretz continues to be unavailable following a kidney contusion suffered during training in January.

“I expect that Manuel will require some time to recover before the international break, but we are unsure of how long it might take. Fortunately, there is a break coming up, which should be beneficial for us,” Kompany stated during a press conference on Friday.

“I don’t want to heap too much pressure on Jonas. He has been performing well in training and in his previous match, which should boost his confidence… He possesses talent and has our full trust.”

Urbig, who previously played for Koln, joined Bayern in January on a four-and-a-half-year contract after having loan spells at Jahn Regensburg and Greuther Fürth.

Bayern currently holds an eight-point advantage at the summit of the Bundesliga, while Bochum, sitting in 16th place, finds itself in the relegation playoff zone. Nevertheless, Kompany acknowledged that a tight schedule presents a challenge for Bayern, with this match marking their third in a week.

“We aim to maintain freshness for every match. It’s not merely a choice, but a necessity… it revolves around rotation and keeping the squad fresh,” he remarked.

Having experienced relegation in the previous season with Burnley, Kompany expressed his respect for Bochum.

“Having been involved in a relegation battle last season, I understand how clubs preparing for such situations approach weeks like this,” he remarked.

“You cannot enter a game as an underdog merely to gauge how formidable Bayern is. Every corner, duel, and possession matters.”

“I recognise that these fixtures can be the most perilous if approached with complacency. Our sole focus is tomorrow’s match,” he concluded, looking ahead to Tuesday’s Champions League return leg against Leverkusen.