Tuchel sees keeper at home European Championships
Manuel Neuer’s comeback: What else can he do?
October 28, 2023, 5:56 a.m
10 months is a long time: Manuel Neuer returns to goal at FC Bayern after his career-threatening skiing accident – and is facing one of the biggest football comebacks in Munich. But what else can the goalkeeper do? Coach Thomas Tuchel has a lot of confidence in him.
Even before the final training session, Thomas Tuchel, with a light in his eyes, promised captain Manuel Neuer the long-awaited starting eleven against Darmstadt. 350 days after the clean sheet victory at his old football love FC Schalke 04, the 37-year-old Neuer is due to be back in the FC goal for the first time on Saturday (3.30 p.m./Sky) after his serious broken leg and a complicated rehabilitation for his body and mind Bavaria stand. October 28, 2023 will mark a milestone in Neuer’s illustrious career – as a triumph over his own fears and external doubters.
“If nothing happens in training, then he will play,” Tuchel announced on Friday at 1 p.m. at the start of his press conference. The Bayern coach rapped his hand loudly three times on the podium to say “toi, toi, toi”. “He’s looking forward to it! We’re looking forward to it! And there are probably a few more looking forward to it,” said Tuchel with a smile, looking at the 75,000 spectators who are witnessing one of the biggest football comebacks live in the sold-out Munich Allianz Arena can.
Neuer’s return turns the record champions’ Bundesliga home game against the promoted team from Hesse into a top event. Especially since Tuchel made it clear how hard Neuer’s fight has been in the last few months to be able to play competitive sport at the highest level again. “He can be proud of himself, including the rehabilitation department, the physios, the doctors, everyone who was involved. I’m really happy for him. It’s impressive, a great story,” enthused Tuchel.
“Mix of nervousness and tingling”
The 50-year-old even spoke of satisfaction: “I think that ‘I’ll show everyone again’ plays a role in him, in his competitive spirit and his mentality.” Tuchel wishes the 2014 world champion that he sees the comeback as a “gift” for the hard work since the momentous ski trip on December 9, 2022. “When the accident happened, after a while he became very aware of how close it actually was. “
Tuchel expects Neuer to return with “a mix of nervousness and tingling”. But he has no doubts about a successful comeback. Rather, the coach sounded euphoric: “What I notice in training is a completely new level of goalkeeping. Manu makes every defender stronger, every goalkeeper colleague. That’s a league of its own.”
As an opponent, Tuchel has experienced this painfully in the past. After losing the Champions League final against FC Bayern with Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon in 2020, he spoke approvingly of “a kind of distortion of competition” in view of Neuer’s brilliant performance. When asked whether Neuer would again be number 1 in the national team, Tuchel replied: “If Manu stays injury-free from now on until the European Championships and takes the life experience he has now with him, we will not ask ourselves the question in May. That is my prediction .”
Of course, the complete return to the future will not be easy for Neuer. He last played in goal on December 1, 2022, in the 4-2 win against Costa Rica, which, despite the win, sealed Germany’s elimination from the preliminary round in Qatar. Back then, Neuer wasn’t at his top level either. But he will have to achieve that again in order to return to the DFB goal – and also in order to have his contract, which expires at the end of the season, extended.
Neuer restores the old Bayern hierarchy
At least: The discord between Neuer and FC Bayern surrounding the replacement of his long-time goalkeeping coach and friend Toni Tapalovic no longer weighs on the comeback. Those responsible at the time – CEO Oliver Kahn, sports director Hasan Salihamidžić and coach Julian Nagelsmann – are all no longer in office.
In autumn 2023, we will no longer look back, but rather forward. “I’m sure Manu will get into the rhythm very quickly,” said Tuchel. The loyal placeholder Sven Ulreich has to give up the goal for the long-standing number one, although the 35-year-old has been outstanding in the most recent games. “As a friend and accomplice of Manuel Neuer, Ulle delivered the performance he did. It was outstandingly good,” praised Tuchel.
But Ulreich recognizes the hierarchy, said the trainer. “Of course it’s a shame not to be in goal anymore. But I know my role at FC Bayern,” confirmed the keeper. Ulreich is now number 2 again. And “in the long term”, as Tuchel announced, the Israeli Daniel Peretz (23), who was signed in the summer, should become Neuer’s “challenger, placeholder and perhaps also successor”.