Bayern Munich are facing an unprecedented goalkeeping crisis ahead of their Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Atalanta, with all four senior goalkeepers injured. Manager Vincent Kompany may be forced to hand 16-year-old Leonard Prescott his professional debut in the crucial fixture at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
The crisis deepened after veteran Sven Ulreich, 37, tore a muscle in his right adductor during Saturday's 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen. Ulreich had been given a rare start after Jonas Urbig, Manuel Neuer, and teenager Leon Klanac were already sidelined. Urbig suffered a blow to the head in the first leg against Atalanta, which Bayern won 6-1.
Neuer has returned to training following a calf strain, but Kompany insists he will not rush the Bayern legend back. Klanac has been out since December with a thigh problem. Bayern also loaned Daniel Peretz to Southampton in January, further reducing their options.
If selected, Prescott would become the youngest goalkeeper in Champions League history and the eighth-youngest player to feature in the competition. The US-born Germany Under-17 international has never made a senior appearance. Jannis Bartl, 19, would likely be named on the bench.
Despite the crisis, Bayern hold a commanding 6-1 lead from the first leg and would need an historic collapse to miss out on the quarter-finals. Kompany said: 'These aren't serious, long-term injuries. It's just frustrating for the guys because they always want to be involved.'
