Champions League
Bayern boss praises Ulreich: savior instead of “ass from duty”
Goalkeeper Sven Ulreich has so far done his job reliably as a placeholder for Manuel Neuer. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Sven Ulreich can be celebrated as one of the match winners after FC Bayern’s 2-1 win in Copenhagen. The veteran fulfills the job as a placeholder for Manuel Neuer – but for how long?
In his first banquet speech as CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen named goalkeeper Sven Ulreich after midnight in the team hotel to the Bayern savior from Copenhagen.
The 35-year-old goalkeeper made a magnificent save in stoppage time to catch a header from Jordan Larsson with his left hand in front of the goal line and thus prevented FC Copenhagen from equalizing very late. Thanks to Ulreich’s final action in the Champions League, Munich remained 2-1.
“I was particularly pleased that Ulle saved this important victory for us at the very end. Great!” Dreesen shouted into the hall and, after the applause of the noble fans, continued in the direction of Ulreich: “As a goalkeeper you really don’t have it Simple: Either you’re an idiot – or you just saved it. Today you saved it.”
The teammates thanked their goalkeeper immediately after the final whistle in the Parken Stadium. “The way he got it out at the last second – gigantic,” praised captain Joshua Kimmich. “It felt good that he got rid of that,” commented Thomas Müller. “I’m obviously happy that I managed to steer it around the post. That’s what you train for,” said Ulreich himself about his brilliant feat.
Tuchel praised Neuer’s progress
The veteran goalkeeper has done his job as a placeholder for Manuel Neuer, who is still unable to play after his broken leg, mostly reliably over the course of the season so far. “What he’s been playing in the last few weeks has been great for us,” said Kimmich. “Ulle is doing very well so far,” Müller also noted. But how often can he still play?
That depends entirely on Neuer. Sports director Christoph Freund did not rule out in Copenhagen that the 37-year-old could ideally be in goal again for the next premier class game in three weeks at Galatasaray Istanbul. “We’ll see. It would be a nice story,” said Freund. If Neuer’s training continues well during the international break, “then we hope to see him back on the pitch soon.” Coach Thomas Tuchel also praised Neuer’s progress after the success in Denmark. “I’ve been very impressed with the last few training sessions,” said the 50-year-old.