‘I feel a little sorry for Marc’: Manuel Neuer sympathises with Barcelona goalkeeper and Germany team-mate Ter Stegen after Bayern Munich hammering in the Champions League
- Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer says he feels sorry for Marc-Andre ter Stegen
- Ter Stegen was in goal as Barcelona shipped eight goals to the German giants
- Neuer said he felt sorry for his German rival after the shocking result
- He insisted that the result has no bearing on their national team rivalry
Manuel Neuer has admitted he feels sorry for countryman Marc-André ter Stegen after Bayern Munich pummelled eight goals past Barcelona in a Champions League rout.
Ter Stegen was unable to stop the Bayern Munich onslaught as the relentless German placed themselves firmly as the favourites to win the competition with an 8-2 win over the Spaniards.
Neuer did not have a great deal to do at the other end of the pitch, and admitted he felt for his compatriot, but insisted that Friday night’s result does not have an impact on the national team.
Manuel Neuer has admitted he ‘feels sorry’ for Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen
The Barcelona goalkeeper shipped eight goals as the Spaniards were hammered by Bayern
The two goalkeepers have battled it out for the No 1 spot for Germany, with Neuer holding onto the gloves for the most part, and the Bayern Munich stopper shared his thoughts on his rival.
‘I feel a little sorry for Marc. I know that something like this is not easy for a goalkeeper,’ Neuer told Sky channel. ‘But we were playing the Champions League and this has nothing to do with the national team.’
The pair had engaged in a verbal exchange last September, as ter Stegen went public to express his frustrations at not being given a chance as Germany’s No 1.
Neuer and ter Stegen are rivals for the German national team but Neuer sympathised for him
Bayern’s keeper insisted that the quarter final hammering has no bearing on the national team
‘It’s not easy to find an explanation for what I am experiencing,’ he said after being left on the bench for the recent matches against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland. ‘I am still trying everything, but this trip with Germany was a tough blow for me.’
Neuer responded by calling for the team to be united, saying: ‘We have great goalkeepers. We have Kevin Trapp, Bernd Leno… these are all great goalkeepers who also want to play and then sit on the bench.
‘We are a team. We have to stick together. The goalkeepers also have to stick together.’
Those comments had angered the Barcelona keeper who responded with: ‘I don’t think it is up to Manuel to express an opinion on my feelings. Everyone has seen how I have conducted myself over the last few years.’
