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From hero to tragic figure – Manuel Neuer’s bitter night
As of: 02:52 a.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
Manuel Neuer and Eric Dier after the defeat
What: REUTERS
FC Bayern is eliminated from the Champions League after a dramatic game. Manuel Neuer held up outstandingly against Real Madrid until the 88th minute and was the best Munich player. Then he makes a momentous mistake “that he won’t make in 100 years.”
Until the 88th minute it was largely: Real Madrid versus Manuel Neuer. The FC Bayern goalkeeper drove the Royal strikers to despair. The Munich captain repeatedly demonstrated his exceptional position and extra class. But then the fateful action came two minutes before the end, which ushered in Bayern’s 2-1 defeat and elimination from the Champions League.
Vinicius Junior fired a desperation shot from half left. Actually a sure prey for Neuer, who made several world-class saves during the game. But the 38-year-old misjudged the ball and couldn’t grab it. The ball bounced back from Neuer’s chest into the six-yard box, and substitute Joselu was there and pushed it over the line to equalize.
Joselu scores the equalizer and initiates Bayern’s defeat
What: AFP/THOMAS COEX
“Everyone who has played football knows how I feel now,” said Neuer on DAZN. “It’s extremely bitter, we were already in London with one step. You’re really at a loss for words. I expected the ball differently, it went a little higher, I didn’t expect that. Then Joselu was there quicker. This 1-1 draw was simply brutal.”
“That can happen sometimes, that’s football too,” said defender Matthijs de Ligt without accusation on DAZN.
“Manu makes a mistake that he won’t make in 100 years”
For a long time, Neuer was able to prevent Real from taking the lead. The goalkeeper defused a free kick from Rodrygo, guided a powerful shot from Vinicius Junior over the crossbar and plucked cross after cross out of the air. In the first half, Neuer spectacularly directed a shot from Vinicius onto the post and easily caught Rodrygo’s follow-up shot out of the air.
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As usual, Neuer also acted as a builder. With his security on the ball, he initiated Bayern’s attacks and put his teammates in the spotlight instead of randomly whipping the ball forward. If it hadn’t been for the mistake in the final phase. “Manu makes a mistake that he won’t make in 100 years. “Before that he held up outstandingly,” said Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel.
