Blunder against Real

“Excuse”: Spaniards taunt Manuel Neuer

Manuel Neuer did not cut a particularly good figure in the 1:1 draw.(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Manuel Neuer played in a league of his own for 87 minutes in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid before Joselu capitalized on a blunder by the keeper to make it 1-1. The 38-year-old subsequently explained the blunder with an unexpected trajectory - a poor excuse for Spain's press ...

"Neuer has found an excuse to justify his mistake," Marca made clear. The DFB goalkeeper had said after the final whistle that the ball had come "a touch higher" than expected and that he had therefore failed to get it under control.

"They need to improve the pitch"
"Neuer justifies his failure by pointing to Guardiolism", according to reports from Spain. Background: Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City coach, had blamed the pitch at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu after the elimination against Real Madrid. "The stadium looks fantastic, but now they have to take care of the pitch, they have to improve it," said the Catalan.

Neuer was of the opinion that a hill gave the ball an atypical flight movement, so the Bayern goalkeeper also complained about the Madrid pitch. For Munich, the season ends without a title after the elimination against the "royals", while Real can dream of the double after winning the championship. On June 1, Ancelotti's squad will face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.