Manuel Neuer immediately raised both arms after the final whistle. The recently injured shoulder also played along with the cheers without any problems. The national goalkeeper was clearly relieved at his comeback victory with FC Bayern Munich.
Because the signal that Neuer sent with his performance in the 3-2 (3-2) victory at Hertha BSC in the Bundesliga was clear: All doubts about the World Cup are unfounded. “We are all happy in Germany that Manuel is doing well again,” said his coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Participation in the World Cup is out of the question
Neuer can lead the DFB team in his fourth world tournament in a few weeks. “Yeah, sure,” said the 36-year-old with a grin. In Qatar he is there. If national coach Flick nominates him. “Hansi has to decide that.” So it was allowed to joke again, with Neuer and Bayern, who were back at the top of the table at least until Sunday.
Success in a wild game was unnecessarily jeopardized by a lack of focus five minutes before the half-time break. In principle, however, Neuer had nothing against the decent employment program that the Berliners demanded of him in his first game after a four-week forced break. “I think it was good for me that I didn’t have to wait long to get the first ball, so I was in the game and I felt good straight away and didn’t have any problems.” He was “right back on fire”.
“Oops, what’s going on now?”
And the injured shoulder, how did it feel after the first 90 minutes after a four-week break? “Good. There are no problems,” said Neuer. “Normal” is that it “tweaks here and there again,” he added. Even a moment of shock during training the day before, when he fell onto the other shoulder and immediately felt pain, has now been digested. “I thought for a moment: oops, what’s going on now?” He never had any doubts that the problems would be resolved before the World Cup. “I just had to rest my shoulder. Then it went quickly.”
It also went well in Berlin. Less than four minutes were played when Neuer had to play for the first time. He boxed Dodi Lukebakio’s shot from an angle. He also reacted quickly to Davie Selke’s (11th) attempt from close range. Shortly thereafter he blocked an attempt by Marco Richter (19th) with his foot and also fished a flick of the offensive man (27th) out of the corner. None of this is goalkeeper heroics, but evidence that Flick does not have to worry about Neuer’s Qatar mission.
Unfortunate defeat repeats itself
Jamal Musiala (12th minute) had long since punished the first of many Hertha carelessnesses with the Munich leadership. And for the Berliners it was really bitter in the football curiosities cabinet. First Marc Oliver Kempf (37th) involuntarily put on for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, a minute later his fellow defender Agostin Rogel did the same. The Bayern nine hits as he wants – now even when falling and lying down.
Was that it? no Hertha came back, a new quality under coach Sandro Schwarz. Lukebakio (40th) scored his sixth career goal against Bayern. And Selke (45th) converted a penalty that Benjamin Parvard was responsible for. 2: 3 after 0: 3 – the feature film of the unfortunate defeat against RB Leipzig was repeated for Hertha in 45 minutes.
At the end of a much quieter second half, Neuer even had time for small talk. He danced out Hertha’s Wilfried Kanga with a lob shortly before the end. “I’ve done something like this in the B youth and now it’s a second time,” said Neuer about his ball magic.
