Julian Nagelsmann has made his decision: Manuel Neuer will keep goal again at the home European Championships – but he still has to wait for his comeback to the DFB.
Manuel Neuer hung his head in disappointment; the photo from the national team’s training spoke volumes.
Having just been promoted to the new, old number one in the German goal, the long-time captain has to pass again: Neuer suffered a torn muscle fiber in his left adductor on Wednesday and left the team camp in Frankfurt.
“He’s out for the two international matches. Maybe also for the Bayern game against Dortmund in the league. But that’s not my job,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann at a fan press conference that evening.
He called Neuer’s exit “annoying because he made a very good impression.” Fortunately, the “eternal” deputy Marc-Andre ter Stegen is “also a world-class keeper” who will brilliantly replace Neuer.
“Get well soon, Manu!” wrote the association in its message on social networks, along with the photo and hearts in black, red and gold. Nothing will come of the 2014 world champion’s comeback 15 months after his 117th and so far last international match.
Instead, his “eternal” deputy Marc-Andre ter Stegen is likely to take his place again in the international match against France on Saturday (9 p.m. in the live ticker) in Lyon.
Neuer’s world still seemed rosy in the morning. As the new father of little Luca, he was floating on a pink cloud anyway, then his private and sporting happiness were supposedly perfectly combined.
Nagelsmann probably decided on Neuer as the European Championship keeper
The long-time regular goalkeeper, it was revealed around midday, should be in goal again at the home European Championship after a fairytale return to FC Bayern. National coach Julian Nagelsmann had decided on this.
The decision was an expected one – and yet a new (new) heavy blow for ter Stegen. The placeholder, who is already 31 years old, has kept the position warm for a year and a half and should be content with the reserve role again. Even at 37, there seemed to be no getting around a Manuel Neuer in top form, as Thomas Tuchel recently noted with great awe.
A comeback like Neuer’s after he broke his leg while skiing mountaineering could only be achieved by “one in 20 million players,” enthused the Bayern coach. Neuer is unique, “absolutely world class” in all areas, “in a league of his own” in terms of anticipation and charisma.
And: The Bayern lobby beat the drum for him on Wednesday, shortly before Nagelsmann’s decision was initially reported by the sports buzzer.
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Rummenigge compared Neuer to Italian icon Zoff
“He has now returned to his old class and has a huge advantage over Ter Stegen, who is undoubtedly also a great goalkeeper,” said supervisor Karl-Heinz Rummenigge to the evening newspaper: “Manuel Neuer has experience.” He compared Neuer to the great Dino Zoff, whom Rummenigge himself had experienced as a teammate. For Uli Hoeneß it was “no question” anyway: Manuel Neuer, over, over, that’s it!
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Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
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Miroslav Klose (unaffiliated)
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Neymar is being discussed at a new club
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Marc-André ter Stegen (FC Barcelona)
However, no discussions are said to have taken place with Barca yet. Although Ter Stegen is part of coach
And now? Will Nagelsmann change his mind again? Neuer could now only return in June shortly before the tournament for the final tests against Ukraine and Greece. Would that be soon enough? He has proven often enough how quickly he can find his usual form after injuries – most impressively since he was back in goal for FC Bayern in October.
In the meantime, ter Stegen can now play again. The FC Barcelona professional played eight of the eleven international matches in Neuer’s absence. On Tuesday, the public training session showed what luxury German football has: there was hardly a ball in the net during the goal-scoring exercises, and both goalkeepers were equally outstanding.