Bayern Munich have announced that women’s first team keeper Maria Luisa Grohs has been diagnosed with a malignant tumor and will be out for the time being as she focuses on her treatment and recovery. In order to show support to the player, Bayern Munich and Grohs have signed a one-year contract extension which will keep her at the club until 2026.
The club’s official press release contained messages from the keeper herself as well as messages of support from top executives at the club.
Mala Grohs: ”The disease is a challenge I didn’t expect to have to tackle. But with the help of everyone here, I’m sure I’ll overcome it and fully recover. I’m in the very best of hands with the doctors here in Munich and can absolutely count on the support from my team and the club.”
Herbert Hainer, FC Bayern President: ”Sport fades into the background at such moments. Our club and the entire FC Bayern family support Mala Grohs. Mala is a great, a strong person, she’ll get all the help we can give her, all the help she needs to recover. We’ll accompany her during the healing process. She can count on FC Bayern.”
Jan-Christian Dreesen, FC Bayern CEO: ”Mala Grohs’ disease has shocked us all. We’re proud she’s part of our FC Bayern family, and the entire club will be close by her side to support her during the healing process. The top priority is that she recovers, which is much more important than any victory out on the pitch.”
Max Eberl, FC Bayern Board Member for Sport: ”It’s hard to find words at such a moment. Health and life are far more important than sport. Mala Grohs will tackle her most important challenge, and we’ll be by her side. We sincerely wish her all the best and the strength she needs. She’s a formative FC Bayern player, she’s held in high esteem by all her teammates, she’s a role model for the fans and a personality at our club. With the contract extension, we want to do our bit so that she can focus on her recovery, and we want to show her that FC Bayern will forever be her home.”
Bianca Rech, FC Bayern Women sporting director: ”The team, the coaches, the staff and the entire FC Bayern family are close by Mala’s side. She’ll get all the support she needs from us, which we wanted to show with the contract extension. We sincerely wish Mala a lot of strength and the best possible healing process. She’ll be very close to us, and she’ll always be part of our team. Everything’s geared towards her getting well and eventually returning to the pitch.”
This wouldn’t be the first time that an FC Bayern keeper has been diagnosed with cancer. In 2022, current men’s first team goalkeeper Manuel Neuer revealed that he had to undergo three surgeries over the summer due to skin cancer on his face.
The details of Mala Grohs’ condition have not been made available to the public, and the club has requested that fans refrain from asking questions to respect the player’s privacy.
We here at BFW wish her all the best and hope for a speedy recovery.
