Manuel Neuer Faces Backlash in Germany Following His Costly Mistake

The Bayern Munich’s remarkable unbeaten streak ended yesterday at Emirates Stadium. They lost 3-1 to Arsenal, marking their first defeat after 18 matches. This win is a significant achievement for the Gunners and their coach, Mikel Arteta. “I must congratulate our players, as I believe they put in an incredible performance against what is, in my opinion, the best team in Europe,” the Spaniard stated after the match. His counterpart at Bayern Munich, Vincent Kompany, responded, “We had this discussion three weeks ago when we faced PSG. They (the Parisians) mentioned the same thing. I don’t think any of us wants to be the best team in November.”

Involved in Two of Bayern’s Three Goals Conceded

“Any team can lose, that’s football. I think we started the first half well, but then we conceded from a set piece. However, we managed to equalize. At halftime, I felt we could win if we kept up our momentum. But we couldn’t find our rhythm in the second half. Arsenal managed the game well and capitalized on the small moments. I won’t make excuses. Arsenal was better, and we need to fix this on Saturday. I feel the boys are eager for the next match,” Kompany said. Bayern Munich remains well positioned in the Champions League standings (3rd) and won’t be significantly shaken by this setback.

This sentiment is echoed across the German media, which refrained from harsh criticism of Bayern after their impressive unbeaten stretch. However, one individual facing scrutiny is Manuel Neuer. Before the match, Bayern’s managing director, Max Eberl, advocated for the return of the 39-year-old iconic goalkeeper to the national team. “Should he be at the 2026 World Cup? Yes. He is the best goalkeeper in Germany. We are incredibly happy to have extended his contract and that he is healthy. International break vacations are good for him. But he is very motivated,” Eberl stated. Unfortunately for Neuer, he faced challenges during the match. Beaten by Jurriën Timber on a corner, he was directly involved in Arsenal’s first goal. He was also powerless against Madueke for the second goal and made a critical mistake 15 minutes before full-time, finding himself too far up the pitch to stop Gabriel Martinelli, who scored into an empty net.

Neuer’s Style Betrayed Him

After the match, Neuer explained his decisions in the mixed zone. “When you’re behind, you need to take a few more risks. We had to take more risks at that point. The pass was good, not too long. I saw Martinelli go for it against Joshua Kimmich. He’s a bit faster than him, so it would have been a one-on-one. I tried to anticipate, but he took a touch, which was crucial, and I wasn’t positioned well,” he said, defending himself regarding the first goal. “Timber clearly unbalanced me; that’s obvious, leaving me in a different position than I would have liked, which made it harder for me to move forward,” he added.

However, the German media didn’t hold back in their criticism. Fussball Transfers rated him a 5 (with 1 being the best and 6 the worst), while Bild headlined: “Neuer’s performance was a disaster.” Former German international Michael Ballack commented: “Manuel obviously took all the risks. If it goes wrong, the risk is too great. Of course, that’s part of his game to some extent, but it simply wasn’t necessary this time,” he said on DAZN. Meanwhile, Süddeutsche Zeitung titled: “Neuer’s style caused his downfall,” highlighting that the traditionally adventurous play style of the 39-year-old keeper may need reconsideration.