Bayern Munich's Mala Grohs diagnosed with malignant tumor

Bayern Munich women's goalkeeper Mala Grohs said she had been diagnosed with a malignant tumor, sharing the news with her fans in a video published online on Saturday.

She said she would not be available to play for an indefinite period as she underwent treatment.

"The disease is a challenge I didn't expect to have to tackle," the 23-year-old said, but added she was confident she could overcome it, particularly given the support around her. 

"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," she said. 

Grohs and the club did not go into details regarding the location of the tumor or the stage of the illness, saying more tests were pending before treatment.

The goalkeeper joined Bayern in 2019 as a teen prospect and has won three Bundesliga titles and established herself as first-choice keeper for the Munich-based club.

She recently claimed her first national team call-up, but had to withdraw for an operation on her tonsils.

Bayern agree 1-year contract extension

Bayern Munich confirmed in a press release that Grohs would be "out of the team for the foreseeable future" so that she could "fully focus on her recovery." 

"The club and the keeper have agreed on a one-year contract extension until 30 June 2026," the team said. 

Bayern's director of sport, Max Eberl, said that it was "hard to find words at such a moment."

"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," he said. 

Eberl also said with the contract extension, "we want to do our bit" to allowing Grohs to focus on her health and "to show her that FC Bayern will forever be her home." 

Bianca Rech, the director of women's football at Bayern, also wished Grohs a rapid recovery. 

"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." Rech said.

msh/dj (dpa, SID)