Bayern Munich star Manuel Neuer’s missed Bayern Munich’s Champions League quarterfinal showdown with Manchester City in 2022/23.
A year later, Neuer is healthy and preparing to face Real Madrid in the UCL semifinals. The veteran is clearly amped up and ready to go.
“Everybody knows Real Madrid. They’re a great team, and the duels between Bayern and Real Madrid are more or less the greatest games you can get. The entire footballing world looks forward to them; we’re looking forward to it and we know it’s going to be tough to get to Wembley and play the final there. For this reason, we’ll have to be in top form on the day in both matches and give our all on the pitch so that we can get into the final,” Neuer told UEFA (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Despite his injury last season, Neuer recently broke the record for clean sheets in the Champions League and said it was more of a reflection on how his team played and not just something he earned on his own.
“It’s not the most important thing there is, but it’s nice for my team-mates too if we think about our defensive work and all the colleagues I’ve played with in the past. I started with Schalke and then continued at Bayern – all the matches right up to the present day – and it’s great that it’s not over yet,” Neuer.
Neuer is not looking past Real Madrid by any means, but UEFA did ask him about the possibility of playing Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League finale.
“Firstly, it’s very good for German football that there are two teams in the semifinals. It’s also very special because of the final venue, and that both of the finalists from 2013 are in the semi-finals again. Obviously, there aren’t many players from that day who are still playing, but Thomas [Müller] and I can remember very well how fantastic that was. Now, it’s about giving absolutely everything to get there again,” Neuer said.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s massive Champions League showdown with Real Madrid? We’ve got you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show, where we dive into the game, Bayern Munich’s tenuous injury situation, a guess on Thomas Tuchel’s lineup, and a prediction on the game. Check it out on Spotify or below: