National coach Hansi Flick has backed the seriously injured national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and expressed his confidence in the DFB captain.
“I can’t understand all the discussions about Manuel Neuer’s quality. Manu has been the best goalkeeper I know for the last ten years,” said Flick before the round of 16 second leg in the Champions League between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain “DAZN”: “I am convinced that he can reach this level again.”
Neuer, who broke his lower leg after the World Cup debacle with the German national team in Qatar and will no longer play this season, will be 38 years old at the home European Championship in summer 2024. “Manu knows that we also have a performance principle, but he has enormous qualities,” said Flick: “Now his health is the main focus. That he comes back, that he brings quality back to the pitch. And then we’ll see from there .”
In Neuer’s absence, FC Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen is number one in the German goal. The 30-year-old had recently made clear claims to be promoted to permanent goalkeeper and to go to the European Championship with this status. “That’s my goal, of course,” Ter Stegen told the “kicker”.
The newcomer, who has been undisputed for a long time, also has to face the competition at FC Bayern. As a replacement, the club had signed Swiss national goalkeeper Yann Sommer from Borussia Mönchengladbach and given him a contract until 2025. In addition, Alexander Nübel, who is currently on loan to AS Monaco, is hoping for his chance to become number one with the record champions.