With its 2-0 away win at Atlético Madrid, FC Bayern delivered an impressive response to the difficult weeks it has faced. The victory was an especially emotional evening for Manuel Neuer. The 40-year-old returned to goal after his foot injury and revealed after the game that he had been in considerable pain throughout the match.
After missing five competitive matches, Neuer was back between the posts for the first time in Madrid. The Bayern captain delivered a commanding performance and kept a clean sheet against Diego Simeone’s team. At the same time, he set a new German record with his 164th Champions League appearance.
After the final whistle, the 2014 World Cup champion expressed his satisfaction in an interview with Amazon Prime Video. He particularly highlighted the team’s cohesive effort and made it clear that Munich’s performance was also a response to recent doubts.
Neuer raved: “That was total dominance.”
“That was total dominance today, from the 1st to the 93rd minute. That was fun today,” Neuer explained after the important away win.
Given the numerous injuries and the recent loss of points in the Champions League, the victory is particularly valuable. “We’re happy, especially considering everything that’s happened in the last few weeks and days,” emphasized the Bayern captain.
Neuer sees the team’s unity, above all, as a decisive factor. “As a team, we always stick together,” the goalkeeper explained, noting that Bayern finds solutions even under difficult conditions.
At the same time, the 40-year-old sent a remarkable message to the critics. “Some had already doubted whether we could pull this off here today. Not everyone expected us to respond like this today.”
The veteran was particularly pleased with the defensive effort. The Munich team also defended the Spaniards’ long balls well in the first half. “That was very, very important for us today,” Neuer emphasized.
Neuer reveals: “I was in pain this morning, too.”
In addition to the strong team performance, the Bayern captain also spoke about his personal situation.
His comeback against Atlético was apparently much more difficult than initially expected. “It hasn’t been an easy situation for me over the last few days. I’ve been in pain whenever I walked over the last few days, even this morning,” Neuer revealed on Prime Video.
The goalkeeper made it clear that he hadn’t been completely pain-free even on game day. “I was still in pain this morning, but our medical staff did everything they could to make sure I could play today. That makes me really happy.”
For Neuer, his return was thus also a success for FC Bayern’s medical staff.
During his injury layoff, Jonas Urbig had filled in for the veteran. Against Atlético, the captain once again earned the trust of interim coach Aaron Danks.
The fact that Neuer was able to play despite his discomfort—and kept a clean sheet in the process—made the evening especially memorable for him.
With the victory in Madrid, the Munich team has also improved its standing in the Champions League. Following two draws against Viking Stavanger and Arsenal, the record champions now have eight points from four games.
For Neuer, the victory is above all a testament to the team’s resilience. Despite numerous setbacks, Bayern delivered a convincing performance in Madrid.