Weidenfeller ready to step up if Neuer fails to recover from injury
Roman Weidenfeller is ready to be Germany's number one at the World Cup this summer if Manuel Neuer fails to recover from a shoulder injury.
Doubts persist about Neuer's fitness after he joined the national team with his arm in a sling last week. It is not yet known when or if the Bayern Munich custodian will be able to start training.
Weidenfeller, who only received his first cap last November, is now primed to be promoted to a position he never would have thought possible a year ago.
"I'm pretty certain Manuel will be back in time, but if anything were to happen, then I would be ready," the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper told sport1.de.
"It's sensational for me to be involved. I think it rounds off my career perfectly, particularly to go to a football-crazy country like Brazil."
Weidenfeller, 33, has already spoken with his rival for the number one jersey, and feels he is confident of a return in time for Germany's first group game against Portugal on June 16.
"I had a shoulder injury of my own in the past so we had a bit of a chat about it," Weidenfeller said.
"As a goalkeeper, you need your shoulder in every single movement you make, which is why it's such a bad situation to have that kind of an injury.
"It's incredibly important that the muscles in his shoulder are built up, but you can do anything nowadays.
"I think he's going to be fit again in time for the World Cup."
