VINCENT KOMPANY DEFENDS MANUEL NEUER: KEEPER'S FUTURE HINGES ON MARCH FEELING
Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer will decide on his contract extension by March, despite a recent Champions League error. He reaffirmed his retirement from the German national team.
It was a tough week for Manuel Neuer and Bayern Munich. They lost their first game of the season to Arsenal in the Champions League. Neuer made a mistake on Arsenal’s third goal, which sealed the match at Emirates Stadium.
During Friday's press conference, Vincent Kompany defended Neuer. He said Neuer made the right choice to challenge the attack, but Gabriel Martinelli still managed to score the winning goal, giving Arsenal a 3-1 victory.
Neuer has been playing well this season overall. He played great in Paris earlier this month, helping Bayern get a 2-1 victory against the defending European champions, even after they were down a man for half the game.
Because of his form, there are talks in Germany that Neuer will sign another one-year extension. After Bayern’s 3-1 victory against St. Pauli, Neuer talked about his future in Munich, saying he's not rushing to sign a new deal and will decide later in the season.
Neuer said, It will depend on how I feel. I'll decide closer to March during the international break.
Neuer will be 40 during the second half of the season. Though he had a difficult period last season, he is still playing well overall. Bayern supports Neuer and thinks he can still help the team, both on and off the field. They will decide his future together later in the season.
Bayern has already picked Jonas Urbig as Neuer’s replacement in the future. Urbig joined Munich at the beginning of 2025 and did a solid job filling in for Neuer last season when he was injured. Urbig has played in the DFB Pokal this season to get playing time. Bayern wants Urbig to play more Bundesliga and Champions League games in the next year and a half.
Neuer also said again that he won't return to the German national team.
Because he’s been playing well, some people in the German media and former players have asked Neuer to return to the team. But Neuer announced he was retiring from international soccer after the 2024 Euros.
Neuer said on Saturday that he’s not changing his mind about retiring from international play. He wants to focus on playing for his club.
It would take something unexpected for Neuer to play for Germany in the World Cup at the end of the season. But, for now, Bayern fans are hoping Neuer keeps playing well and helps Bayern win this year.
MATTHAUS WARNS KOMPANY: DO NOT CHANGE ATTACKING STYLE DESPITE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT
Bayern have secured the Bundesliga! Read why Matthaus wants more "spectacular football" despite the 6-5 aggregate loss to PSG.
Lothar Matthaus has called on Vincent Kompany to continue with his attacking style, despite Bayern Munich's exit from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. The German legend feels Bayern’s entertaining approach shouldn’t be altered even though their defence showed vulnerabilities during the 6-5 aggregate loss in the semi-finals.
After conceding six goals over two legs, Bayern’s Champions League run came to an end. While the defeat exposed defensive issues, it also highlighted the offensive strategy Kompany has brought to the team. These defensive struggles aren’t limited to Europe either; high-scoring Bundesliga matches, like the 4-3 win over Mainz and the 3-3 draw with Heidenheim, have revealed a back line that’s still trying to find the right balance between taking risks and maintaining solidity.
Matthaus, who once captained Bayern, stresses that the club should stick with Kompany’s attacking mindset, even if it leaves them open at the back. He pointed out, “With such an attacking style of play, you can't defend everything, of course. Yes, they've conceded quite a few goals, but they’re still having a successful season and are close to winning the double. They’ve even made it to the Champions League semi-finals.”
The return of excitement at the Allianz Arena was clear, especially during the second leg when Ousmane Dembele’s early goal stunned the crowd. Although Harry Kane’s late equaliser wasn’t enough to turn the tie around, Matthaus sees positives in the bigger picture. He believes Bayern has brought back the thrill and flair fans expect.
“While Bayern didn’t play their best in the semi-final second leg against PSG, they have entertained throughout the year. I look forward to their matches because they’re usually packed with goals. Bayern stands for spectacular football, and this season has been no different. I wouldn’t move away from that style,” Matthaus shared.
With the focus shifting back to domestic competitions, Bayern have already secured the Bundesliga championship. They still have two league games left against Wolfsburg and Koln before preparing for the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on May 23.
BAYERN MUNICH RULE OUT MARCUS RASHFORD MOVE REGARDLESS OF ANTHONY GORDON OUTCOME
Marcus Rashford is not a target for Bayern Munich this summer, as the club focuses entirely on signing Gordon from Newcastle.
Bayern Munich aren’t considering a move for Marcus Rashford this summer, no matter what happens with Anthony Gordon. That’s according to a German reporter who’s close to the story.
Right now, Rashford is wrapping up his loan at Barcelona. He’s set to return to Manchester United at the end of the season. Barcelona have an option to make the deal permanent for €30 million (£26 million) in the summer. Both Rashford and Barcelona want him to stay, but here’s the catch: the club doesn’t want to pay the full €30 million.
Barcelona would rather keep Rashford on loan for another year or get him for a lower fee. Manchester United’s not having it. They want the full price, so Barcelona are starting to look at other players.
Rashford hasn’t made a secret of where he wants to be. Earlier in the season, he told Sport, one of the local Barcelona papers, about how much he wants to stay, saying, “Of course, what I want is to stay at Barca. It’s the ultimate goal.” He talked about the pressure and expectations at the club, saying they keep him motivated and that he feels like he’s in the perfect environment to grow and win trophies. For now, though, it’s all up in the air until next summer.
Last year, Bayern Munich actually showed some interest in Rashford before he went to Barcelona. But now, they’re focused on signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for the left wing. The problem is, Gordon’s interested, but Newcastle’s price is ridiculous, reportedly around £80 million (€92.6 million). That’s much higher than what Bayern’s willing to pay. They’re thinking closer to £60 million (€69.4 million), and maybe with add-ons or an instalment plan. If Newcastle won’t budge, it probably isn’t happening.
Christian Falk, a trusted journalist from Bild, says Bayern aren’t considering Rashford as a backup if they can’t land Gordon. Bayern’s got a short list of players for the left wing, and Rashford isn’t on it. Gordon’s their main focus, but even if that deal falls through, Rashford’s not the next in line.
So at this stage, Bayern and Rashford won’t be coming together this summer, even if Gordon stays at Newcastle. That’s just not in the plans.