Manuel Neuer wants Bayern Munich to "reach for the stars" in 2024/25
Rare is the season when the Bundesliga's 'Rekordmeister' - or record champions - finish empty handed, but that's just the fate Bayern Munich suffered last term and it's something club captain Manuel Neuer wants the Bavarian giants to remedy in 2024/25.
Prior to Neuer announcing his international retirement, bundesliga.com sat down with the goalkeeper, who boasts the all-time clean sheets record in Germany's top flight, to assess the coming campaign, new faces at Bayern and a UEFA Champions League tournament that will have its denoument at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
bundesliga.com: How much did you enjoy your recent time off, especially now you have a young child?
Manuel Neuer: "Every holiday is nice and you look forward to it all year. We had three weeks and I really enjoyed it."
Watch: Neuer - "Kompany wants us to be dominant"
bundesliga.com: Bayern's first Bundesliga game is in Wolfsburg on Sunday. Even though you've been here for so long now, to what extent do you feel a special excitement that the season is finally beginning?
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bundesliga.com: Who do you expect to be competing at the top? Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig? Or are there other teams?
Neuer: "These are probably the teams that will be up there near the top, but a lot will be down to us. If you play yourself into a good rhythm, like Leverkusen did last year, then you get a really good feeling on the pitch and that is what we want to create. We need to rediscover this self-confidence and the Bayern DNA."
bundesliga.com: Communication appears to be high on the list of the priorities for new Bayern new coach Vincent Kompany. What's your opinon?
Neuer: "Communication is key for every coach. It’s vital to talk to the players and to get feedback from them. You need to know how the players think and he did this very quickly by talking to individual players. He wants to teach us his philosophy, because it’s critical that we are all following one philosophy, which is usually decided by the coach.
"We are all ready to listen and are very focused on delivering the things that the coach is demanding of us. It's important to him that we are dominant and that we always offer solutions to one another. Everybody needs to be ready and show what they can do on the pitch. There is a lot of coaching and individual conversations happening on this."
Watch: Bayern are looking to bounce back this term under Kompany
bundesliga.com: Hiroki Ito and João Palhinha are among Bayern's new signings, the former sadly suffering an injury recently. What are your thoughts there?
Neuer: "I think [Ito] will come back stronger and we will then definitely be able to count on him. [Palhinha] is very communicative and he tries to be very present on the pitch. He always wants the ball and is constantly on the move. I'm very intrigued about what he will give us. We have very high expectations because he is a strong player and has proven himself in the Portugual national team and also in the Premier League. It was definitely a good transfer for us."
bundesliga.com: Do you think last season's Bundesliga top goalscorer Harry Kane can be even more integrated into the team this season?
Neuer: "It's important for Harry and for our game that the passes into the box are very short. If we win the ball high up the pitch or are in possession around the box, it's important that we get him into the game because he proved last year that he is very dangerous in front of goal. He can score with every part of his body: he is good with his head and with both feet and he has a great shot on him. He is an out-and-out striker and we can always rely on him."
"He is very open and communicative, and he has the classic British sense of humour just like Eric Dier, which I like a lot. He is a very good team player and captain, and he does our team a lot of good."
bundesliga.com: Last season was a trophyless one for Bayern. To what extent does that provide extra motivation for the coming season?
Neuer: "Nobody wants to have a trophyless season, especially at Bayern. We are very motivated. We have experienced this in the past, at least Thomas [Müller] and I have. In 2012, we also went without a trophy. We lost in the final of the Champions League, came second in the league, and lost the cup final to Dortmund. In that year, the national team also lost in the semi-final of Euros to Italy.
"That was a very disappointing year, but we got our motivation from those losses, and we channelled it all into pre-season and into the following season when we won the treble in 2013. This is our big aim, but we really have to work hard for that. We need to grow together as a team and bring everything onto the pitch. We have a new team both on the pitch and on the sidelines, so this has brought in fresh blood and a new energy. We want to reach for the stars."
Watch: Neuer at his very best
bundesliga.com: What is your personal goal for the season? You mentioned the Champions League final at home earlier, so does this season's showpiece being held in Munich again represent another chance there?
Neuer: "Our first and main aim is to be Bundesliga champions. This will be a lot of hard work because we have tough competition, as you saw last season. We had to simply congratulate Leverkusen because they did amazingly well, but the cards are being dealt again and everybody is starting from scratch. This is our chance to get to where we want to be and to be number one again."
- Neuer on hanging up his gloves with Germany in quotes appearing on his social media:
"Everyone who knows me is aware this was not an easy decision. We have had lots of highs and lows together, with the victory in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina at the Maracana obviously my best moment in a Germany shirt.
"As I reflect on my international career, I am proud and grateful to have been able to share the pitch with my teammates and also wear the captain's armband for six years. To recover from a serious injury and play for Germany at a home Euros was the crowning glory. I would like to thank the DFB, staff, teammates and fans for their support through the good times and the bad."
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