Bayern Munich: 16-year-old Leonard Prescott may have to play in goal in Champions League
Bayern Munich may hand 16-year-old goalkeeper Leonard Prescott his first-team debut in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The German giants have three goalkeepers struggling with injury and if Jonas Urbig fails to recover from concussion then Prescott will play in the second leg of their last 16 tie against Atalanta, head coach Vincent Kompany said.
Urbig sustained his injury in Bayern’s 6-1 victory in Italy last week, while regular starter Manuel Neuer is working towards full fitness after a muscle tear and third-choice keeper Sven Ulreich picked up an adductor issue in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen.
“Jonas trained normally today [Tuesday]. The decision tomorrow will be a medical one,” Kompany said.
“If everything goes well then Urbig will be in goal. If not then we will have to find another solution.”
Prescott, a German youth international who plays for Bayern’s under-19s, will require clearance from German labour authorities to work in the evening as he is a teenager.
He has been on Bayern’s bench in their past two matches with fellow teenage keeper Leon Klanac, 19, also out with a thigh injury.
Reserve team keeper Janis Bartl, 19, has featured on the Bayern bench in two Bundesliga matches this season, but it is Prescott who Kompany will turn to if necessary.
“He [Prescott] is very calm. Overall, we as a staff are also calm. If he plays tomorrow he will have our full backing. Everyone will help,” Kompany added.
“There will never be a young player who will be forced to play a main role. We have full confidence in him whatever happens tomorrow.”
Neuer, a World Cup winner and 12-time Bundesliga champion with Bayern, has played 19 times in the league this season, with the 37-year-old’s last appearance coming on 6 March.
Urbig, 22, has played eight league matches, including six starts, while Ulreich, 37, made his first appearance of the season on Saturday.
Bayern, the defending Bundesliga champions and current league leaders, will face either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the last eight should they beat Atalanta.