Neuer suspended in the DFB Cup
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Coach Vincent Kompany is making a goalkeeper change in what was once a great Bundesliga classic between FC Bayern and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Jonas Urbig will replace captain Manuel Neuer at Borussia Park on Saturday. The reason is Munich’s more important second round game in the DFB Cup next Wednesday at 1. FC Köln, in which Neuer has to be replaced due to a suspension.
“The game in Cologne is so important that we have to give Jonas a fair chance,” said Kompany, explaining Urbig’s match practice. The 22-year-old only moved from the then second division club Cologne to Munich at the beginning of the year. Bayern paid 7 million euros – only five German goalkeepers were ever more expensive. He has only played one game this season. In the 3-2 win at third division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden, he replaced Neuer, who was also suspended in the first round. The 39-year-old captain would only be eligible to play again in a possible round of 16 – he was shown a red card in the round of 16 exit against Leverkusen last season.
Kompany exceptionally confirmed the goalkeeper change early on. “Jonas will start. I don’t usually say anything about the starting eleven. But I’ve learned in my career that the goalkeepers are always a little different. We discussed this with Manu. In this case, clarity is better,” said Kompany. But that shouldn’t be a slight against Gladbach, who go into the game as bottom of the table: “The duel still exudes tradition. And you’ll never have the feeling that it’s first against last.” Urbig, who represented Neuer in the duels with Inter Milan in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season, is one of the most valuable German goalkeepers with a market value of 12 million euros.
Bayern’s Eberl praises Gladbach’s personnel decisions
Bayern’s sports director Max Eberl knows from his many years of experience as a manager in Gladbach what awaits the Munich team at Borussia Park: “I know the other side. I know what it means for the club when FC Bayern came. That was the game of the year. It will be a very emotional game. We have to be fully focused.” The 52-year-old is watching Gladbach’s fall to the bottom of the table and a relegation place very closely: “I was there for 23 years. Those are the two clubs that are in my heart, Bayern Munich and Borussia Mönchengladbach.” He wishes Borussia all the best from Sunday onwards.
Eberl rated the commitment of Rouven Schröder as the new sports director and the trust in interim coach Eugen Polanski as “very good decisions”. He wants Borussia to score points again after the Bayern guest game and quickly move away from the bottom of the table.