BAYERN GAME February 2025
MN : It ‘ s only human to build up a sense of protection , I sometimes feel that way myself . But I ’ ve learnt for myself that I can clear my head more quickly if I talk about it openly and admit a mistake to myself . I can then move on . During a match , however , I ‘ ve got into the habit of completely blocking out a mistake that has led to conceding a goal and telling myself that it ‘ s still 0-0 . I block it out until the final whistle and don ‘ t allow any self-doubt to creep in . SM : That ‘ s a good attitude . There ‘ s no room for self-doubt in a goalkeeper . Because when there ‘ s something at stake in the really important games , a goalkeeper ‘ s form on the day still decides 60 to 80 per cent of the outcome . If you have a good day as goalkeeper in a final , that ‘ s half the battle for your team . That was the case for me in the 1974 World Cup final , but even more so in the semi-final against Poland . Or for Manuel , the 2020 Champions League final against PSG . If you want to win the Champions League , you need a strong goalkeeper who is confident in himself . Full stop . Sepp , you made an incredible 442 consecutive Bundesliga appearances . Doesn ‘ t it get boring at some point when you walk onto the pitch in the same stadium for the umpteenth time ? SM : I was never really conscious of that run – it was only when a reporter once said to me that he would like to do an interview
This particular trophy stands out from their large collection of titles : Maier ‘ s ″ Bravo “ Otto from 1976 .
I BLOCK OUT MISTAKES
TILL THE FINAL WHISTLE
Manuel Neuer
The cruxes of a goalkeeper ‘ s life : Maier once played for 13 years straight – even Neuer occasionally pops his finger joints back into place during a match .
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