Bayern Munich’s Neuer shines as MVP in victory against Real Madrid
Vincent Kompany expressed that he is “impressed every day” by Manuel Neuer following the experienced goalkeeper’s nine saves in Bayern Munich’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Neuer, aged 40, made three crucial stops against both Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a standout performance at the Bernabéu, positioning Bayern favorably ahead of next week’s quarterfinal second leg in Munich.
The goalkeeper nearly prevented Mbappé’s goal in the 74th minute, managing to touch the forward’s shot, which ultimately crossed the line, providing Madrid with a glimmer of hope in the matchup.
“You’ll get me in trouble with guys like Thibaut Courtois, whom I also admire!” Kompany remarked during his postmatch press conference when asked if Neuer is the greatest goalkeeper of all time. “Everyone has their own preference, but Manu has maintained his level for an exceptionally long time. That is something few goalkeepers can achieve.
“I observe him every day in training, and I continue to be impressed daily. This illustrates how he remains capable of being among the top goalkeepers.”
Neuer’s nine saves marked the highest total he has achieved in a match over the past five seasons across all competitions.
The last occasion he exceeded this number in the Champions League knockout stage was in April 2017, when he recorded 10 saves, also against Real Madrid.
Players from Madrid acknowledged Neuer’s performance after Tuesday’s encounter, with both goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and defender Antonio Rüdiger labeling him as Bayern’s “best player.”
“If he was the best player, I’m fine with that; it’s not an issue,” Kompany stated. “Special performances are essential at this level in such matches. Today we had opportunities to score additional goals, so let’s hope we maintain this form, and that our strikers can be the standout players next week; that would also be acceptable for me.”
