No ball got past him, not even from Neymar. Manuel Neuer demonstrates his exceptional position in goal in the Champions League final. Everyone praises him, the suffering PSG coach speaks of "a little distortion of competition".
Lisbon (dpa) - Leaning on crutches, Thomas Tuchel hobbled with his broken foot long after the winning ceremony, where, after a brief exchange with Uli Hoeneß, there was a longer tête-à-tête with Manuel Neuer.
With his arm around the Bayern captain's neck, the uncrowned coach of Paris Saint-Germain could have said what the Bayern captain, who won 1-0 (0-0) in the Champions League final, in a confidential conversation he also told reporters.
"Manuel Neuer is definitely in top form at the wrong time, and has been for weeks," said Tuchel. It was clear to him who, besides goalscorer Kingsley Coman, was primarily responsible for PSG leaving the Estádio da Luz as a loser. "Manuel's quality was unbelievable again today. He raised the goalkeeping game to a new level, that's for sure. He's playing at his very highest level - unfortunately, for us."
Tuchel even wrested a little joke, the 46-year-old spoke of "a little distortion of competition". Neuer was once again a great support in a grand finale. Like in the Munich premier class triumph in 2013 in Wembley against Borussia Dortmund or in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil against Argentina.
"I made a good game, a great game," said Neuer himself. Was it his best ever? "No, I don't think so," said the 34-year-old. "You need the chance to score. We had that, you just have to put it in," moaned Tuchel.
But even superstar Neymar didn't succeed against Neuer. Neuer's most spectacular rescue act was the first against the Brazilian when he parried superbly with his leg (18th minute). Neymar's colleagues Angel di María, Kylian Mbappé and above all Marquinhos (70th), who was free to shoot in front of Neuer, also despaired of the Munich goalkeeper's incredible reflexes.
"We were also a little lucky today - and Manuel Neuer between the posts," said Thomas Müller. Bayern coach Hansi Flick was not a bit surprised: "We have Manuel, the world's best goalkeeper." Also praise came from board member Oliver Kahn, the former titan in the Bayern goal, who saved three shots on penalties in 2001 in the first Munich premier class triumph against FC Valencia. "That is what a goalkeeper simply has to be able to do for Bayern Munich: He is not employed all the time, but he was there precisely at that moment."
Because of the corona pandemic, the EM had to be postponed to 2021 this summer. Neuer used the Final 8 tournament in Portugal to demonstrate his inviolability. In the quarter-finals he had already outdone his DFB rival Marc-André ter Stegen in an 8-2 win against FC Barcelona. The young, ambitious Alexander Nübel, who came from Schalke free of charge and wants to replace Neuer at some point as number 1 in the Bayern goal, will have to be very patient.
After his long foot injury before the 2018 World Cup, Neuer is a goalkeeper giant again. And after lengthy negotiations, he has extended his contract in Munich again until 2023. Then he'll be 37. So what, joked Kahn in the days of Lisbon. "When a goalkeeper gets older, he doesn't get worse. Manuel Neuer is now 34 - and Gianluigi Buffon will soon be 50. He can play at a high level for many years to come."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 200824-99-282718 / 3
Bayern squad
Bayern schedule
FC Bayern title wins
Season statistics FC Bayern
All information about the Champions League
Information on the continuation of the Champions League
Champions League schedule
Champions League season statistics
Champions League statistics manual
Rules changes in the Champions League
Changes in the Champions League squads
Information about Paris on the UEFA website
Pk statements Kahn before the final
UEFA press kit for the final Bavaria - Paris
Bavaria's 10-win streak this season
Pk Flick and Kimmich