“Not a second”
FC Bayern doesn’t want to talk Neuer back into the DFB goal
September 27, 2024, 12:11 p.m
Marc-André ter Stegen’s serious injury suddenly opens a small door for Manuel Neuer’s return to the goal of the German national soccer team. Just a few days after his resignation, people are at least talking about it again. But at FC Bayern they keep a low profile.
A possible DFB comeback by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has apparently not been an issue internally at record champions Bayern Munich. “We didn’t talk about it for a second,” said coach Vincent Kompany. Sports director Christoph Freund added: “This is his personal decision. He is very happy, especially because he is in good shape. Hopefully he is fit again now, he has started the season well.”
The 38-year-old Neuer resigned from the German national team after the quarter-final exit at the home European Championship against Spain (1:2 nV). Since the new number one Marc-André ter Stegen was recently seriously injured and will be out for months, speculation arose about Neuer’s return. Ter Stegen’s representatives Oliver Baumann (TSG Hoffenheim) and Alexander Nübel (VfB Stuttgart) are currently being traded as replacements.
Nübel is the favorite
Sepp Maier recently spoke out in favor of Neuer returning to the DFB goal. He would recommend national coach Julian Nagelsmann “that we approach each other now and discuss it,” said the long-time goalkeeper coach of FC Bayern and the DFB in an interview with the news portal t-online: “With Ter Stegen’s injury, the conditions have changed.” After all, the FC Barcelona goalkeeper is already 32 years old.
“If he has to take a break for eight months, I don’t know how he’ll get back,” said Maier. In addition, the national team has often made comebacks: “It was the same with Toni Kroos at the European Championships.” Julian Nagelsmann has not yet decided – at least publicly – who will guard the DFB goal in the future. However, Alexander Nübel is considered the favorite.
The next international matches are on October 11th in the Nations League in Bosnia-Herzegovina and three days later in Munich against the Netherlands. National coach Julian Nagelsmann will announce the squad for this on October 3rd. Neuer missed the league game at Werder Bremen last week due to thigh problems, but is hoping to play in the top game on Saturday (6.30 p.m./Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) against Bayer Leverkusen.
