Bayern Munich goalkeeper Mala Grohs diagnosed with a malignant tumor. Club extends her contract

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich goalkeeper Mala Grohs revealed Saturday that she has been diagnosed with a malignant tumor as the club extended her contract in a sign of support.

The 23-year-old Grohs has played in all of Bayern’s games in the Women’s Champions League this season including Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Valerenga.

Grohs will be out indefinitely so she can “concentrate fully on her recovery,” Bayern said. The club extended her contract by a year through the end of next season.

Grohs said in a video message that she was “very optimistic” ahead of her treatment.

“I’m in the very best hands with the doctors here. The girls and everyone at the club are really supporting me in any way that they can,” Grohs said.

“The whole thing is definitely a challenge that I didn’t count on having to tackle now, but with the help of everyone here I’ll certainly master it. I’m going to try to be around the team as much as I can now to absorb the energy that the girls give and to be part of things, and then we’ll surely see each other again very soon.”

Grohs joined Bayern in 2019 and has won three German titles in her time with the club. Grohs was called up to the German national team last month but had to withdraw because of an operation on her tonsils, and she has yet to make her senior international debut.

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