Captain Manuel Neuer was overjoyed and relieved after his comeback in the FC Bayern goal. “I’m as happy as I’ve rarely been after a game that I finally made it,” said the 37-year-old on Sky broadcaster after the 8-0 win in the Bundesliga against SV Darmstadt on Saturday. “I was positively excited, not so much that I was nervous, but in a certain expectation of what was going to happen out here. I was just really happy to be back in the Allianz Arena, to play in front of my own fans again and with the team to stand on the pitch.” Neuer said about the game: “The first half was bizarre. Three red cards, wow, that was crazy.”
During the rehab, during which there were also setbacks, he had “absolutely no” thoughts that this was it and that he no longer wanted to put himself through the effort. “There were a lot of ups and downs, that’s clear, but I always had the will to return, was always ambitious.”
After the DFB Cup second round game at 1. FC Saarbrücken on Wednesday, Bayern will play the league classic at Borussia Dortmund next Saturday. Thomas Tuchel has the final say on further deployment planning, emphasized Neuer: “The coach obviously has the say, and then it’s off. I’m just trying to regenerate and concentrate on the next tasks.”
For Neuer, Ter Stegen is currently “definitely number one”
Neuer was still cautious about the topic of the national soccer team and the home European Championship next year. “I think that’s a topic that I’m not dealing with at the moment because I played my first game today. I’m happy that it went so well and that I’m back,” said the world champion goalkeeper 2014.
He also reported that he had been in contact with former Bayern coach Nagelsmann on Friday: “He wished me all the best for today.” Neuer didn’t reveal anything more. “Everything is deeply relaxed for him. I’m looking forward to the next games and will give it my all as always,” he announced.
He sees the goalkeeping situation in the national team as “positive,” said the 117-time international. Since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he has been number 1 in the DFB goal at all World Cup and European Championship tournaments. “We have great goalkeepers – and we are all looking forward to the European Championships,” said Neuer. To the number one question and his competitor Marc-André ter Stegen, he answered briefly and succinctly: “I think that he is definitely number one at the moment.”