Declaration of war on the competition: Bayern now also has the new gene

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When Manuel Neuer was the first to get off the team bus before the match against Darmstadt 98 on Saturday, you could have guessed it: a man came on a mission. 323 days after his complicated tibia and fibula fracture, the 1.93 meter tall man is back in the Bayern goal. But that is of course wrong, because Neuer is not in the goal, he is in front of it – often far above the pitch, almost halfway, where he repeatedly communicates with the Bayern bench as if he is the director of this film, which is so. It’s unbelievable how strange it happened.

Warm welcome for newcomers

He was greeted with applause as he ran into the stadium to warm up. In the same stadium where Bayern fans once greeted him negatively with ‘Koan Neuer’ posters when he moved from Schalke to Munich in 2011. They didn’t know yet what they would get from him. Now they lie at his feet for a long time.

Neuer is back, excited and motivated like a youngster, showed a strong save when the score was 0-0, in the end it was not 3-0 for Munich, no, it was 8-0. Completely mad! As if the Bavarians had been ‘Mia san mia’ and had now had the Neuer gene implanted, which ensures that everyone is even better and more confident, that everything becomes even higher and more spectacular.

New standards in training

In any case, match winner Harry Kane was stunned. Not only had the Englishman scored three goals against Darmstadt, he was also impressed by Neuer, the captain with whom he played in the same team for the first time in a competitive match. “He is one of the best goalkeepers in history. He brings a lot of personality.” And coach Tuchel said there is much more to come: “What I notice in training is a completely new level of goalkeeping. This is in a class of its own.”

Neuer has already revolutionized goalkeeping once. When Germany met Algeria in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Brazil on June 30, 2014, people couldn’t believe their own eyes. In the ninth minute, Islam Slimani was launched on the left flank. Manuel Neuer ran out of the penalty area, actually far too centrally, had to turn, sprint back and at the last moment took the full risk on Slimani’s shot and was able to decisively change the direction of the ball. If he had arrived just a little too late, it could have been 1-0 for Algeria or a red card for Neuer. This World Cup might have looked different.

Mission EM 2024

What followed is a German success story: Neuer reinterpreted the goalkeeping game, became the eleventh outfield player, tackled, headed, ran away from every long ball and often immediately launched the counter-attack. Germany became world champions and Neuer’s style became a model for entire generations of goalkeepers.

And now, less than eight months before the European Championship in his own country, ten years after the World Cup coup, he is starting again at the age of 37. He cleverly keeps his claims in check when it comes to the national team because there is also the very good Marc-André ter Stegen, but for Tuchel it is clear: “In May we will ask ourselves the question of the number 1 of the team . won’t make it to the national team if Manu stays fit.”

Source : Blick