Champions League
Neuer’s Müller plea: “Thomas simply belongs to Bavaria”
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (l) recently extended his contract with FC Bayern Munich. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Manuel Neuer has extended his contract with FC Bayern until 2025. And Thomas Müller? The goalkeeper also expects the attacker to have another year at Bayern. For him, “no long thought” was necessary.
National soccer goalkeeper Manuel Neuer firmly believes that he will continue to work with his long-time companion in Munich beyond the current season Thomas Müller will play together. “Thomas Müller simply belongs to Bayern Munich,” said the 37-year-old Neuer after the German champions’ 0-0 draw in the Champions League against FC Copenhagen.
The day before the game, Bayern announced the extension of captain Neuer’s contract for another year until June 2025. Müller’s current contract (34) expires at the end of this season. “We know and appreciate his class,” Neuer said to Müller: “I assume that if Thomas talks to Bayern and Bayern talks to Thomas, that will work.” During their time together at Bayern, Neuer and Müller won the treble twice (2013, 2020). They also became world champions together in 2014.
Neuer himself is not setting a deadline for his career after his successful comeback after his serious broken leg. “I want to play as long as I enjoy it. It didn’t take much thought for me to say that it will continue until 2025,” he said.
Neuer proves his class
Neuer was also able to demonstrate his class again against Copenhagen when, shortly before the end of regular time, he prevented Copenhagen’s Mohamed Elyounoussi from making it 0-1 twice within seconds after a corner kick against Copenhagen’s Mohamed Elyounoussi. First, Neuer parried the attacker’s header with his hand on the line. Then he blocked the follow-up shot with his foot. “It was more or less billiards in front of the goal,” Neuer commented on the scene.
However, the long-time number one did not want to classify the campaign as an application for a national team comeback. With a view to the home European Championship next summer and the first international matches in 2024 at the end of March, he confirmed his ambitions to return. “There is no agreement,” said Neuer in reference to national coach Julian Nagelsmann. But he added: “We all assume that if everything goes normally that I’ll be back.”