Newsletter

Number one at FC Bayern Munich and in the DFB team

Dhis recent trip to Leipzig was typical of Manuel Neuer. The FC Bayern goalkeeper just tries to anticipate situations in the game. This often works very well, and he gets top marks and hymns of praise for his spectacular actions. But sometimes it goes wrong.

In the Supercup against the cup winners last weekend, it almost happened when he tried to stop a long ball with his chest well before the penalty area, it jumped too far from his body and landed on Christopher Nkunku from Leipzig. But he couldn’t take the chance.

“Always shown he’s there”

Neuer accepts such a lapse. Showing presence, even outside the penalty area, is part of his interpretation of goalkeeping. Despite or maybe because of his willingness to take risks, he’s the best, there’s no doubt about that. Definitely the best German goalkeeper, and his competitors recognize that. “Manu just has something special,” said Bernd Leno, who has just switched from Arsenal to Fulham. “His great successes prove him right. He’s always shown in the big games that he’s there.”

There are no indications that this ranking will change in the foreseeable future. And that’s why Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann is happy that the gastrointestinal virus that had plagued the goalkeeper this week is almost cured and will be used at the start of the season this Friday (8:30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga, at Sat.1 and DAZN) nothing should stand in the way of Eintracht Frankfurt. “He’s better now. If things continue like this, he will be able to play normally.”

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending