BAYERN GAME February 2025
BAYERN HAVE NEVER HAD A GOALKEEPER PROBLEM
Manuel Neuer
Manuel once told us in an interview that when he plays, he has a mental catalogue with the most important facts about his opponents. What was it like for you back then? Studying videos was far more difficult than it is today. SM: In the Bundesliga, I got to know all the opponents well over the years, but in European games or for internationals, I had to try and gather as much information as possible. I would then always go through it in my mind‘ s eye, visualising match scenes, sometimes even in my dreams. Ahead of the 1967 European Cup Winners‘ Cup final against [ Glasgow ] Rangers, I was sharing a room with our defender Hans Rigotti. I dreamt about the game, how the Scots were attacking and whipping cross after cross into my penalty area. But I leapt up, caught hold of the ball and showed it to the spectators: I‘ ve got it! They roared. Suddenly I woke up to a scream: ″ Sepp, Sepp, for God‘ s sake – are you trying to kill me?“ I was holding Rigotti‘ s head in my hands and shaking it. In my dream, I‘ d thought I‘ d just intercepted a Scottish cross. MN: It‘ s a good thing you didn‘ t fist it away. SM: I also said to Hans back then: ″ Be glad I didn‘ t take a goal kick( laughs)!“ Sepp‘ s nickname was ″ the Cat from Anzing“. Manu, why don‘ t you actually have a nickname like that – and what would be appropriate? Perhaps the ″ Tatze( paw) from the Tegernsee ″? MN: Sounds good, I‘ d go for that. SM: Or the“ Shark from the Tegernsee“, the way he snaps [ when winning the ball ]. But that was a different time for us.“ Kaiser“,“ Bomber of the Nation“,“ Adler( Eagle) from Giesing“,“ Bulle“( Bull) – we all had some sort of name. What would you like people to say about you? SM: They‘ ll always remember us fondly. Me in any case( laughs). And Manu too, he‘ s been here for so long now, he‘ s almost a true Bavarian. MN: I think we‘ re both good examples of the fact that FC Bayern have never had a goalkeeping problem and that good goalkeepers have played here across all eras. There are lots of legends at FC Bayern – and hopefully there will always be new ones in the future, because that would mean that the club is still successful. And you‘ re hereby officially conferring Bavarian citizenship on Manu, Sepp? SM: Looks like it. He‘ s deserved it for a long time. He’ s a real“ Tatze from the Tegernsee“.
Neuer doesn‘ t officially have a nickname yet, but Maier likes ″ The Tatze( Paw) from the Tegernsee“.
36 FC Bayern Magazine