National team - National coach: Neuer likely to be back in goal in March
Manuel Neuer can expect to return to goal for the German national soccer team in March. "If everything continues as it currently seems to be heading towards March, then that's what it will come down to," said national coach Julian Nagelsmann in the ZDF sports studio. Germany will play against runners-up France on March 23 and the Netherlands on March 26 as part of their European Championship preparations.
Neuer's rival Marc-André ter Stegen (31) from FC Barcelona will be out for a good two months following back surgery. Ter Stegen had already missed the DFB team's two test matches against Turkey (2:3) and in Austria (0:2) due to back problems. Neuer (37) had celebrated a strong comeback at FC Bayern Munich after breaking his tibia and fibula.
"I've been in contact with him a lot. I think his performance is outstanding," said Nagelsmann about Neuer. Both are exceptionally good goalkeepers. But ter Stegen is currently injured - we'll see how he comes back from his injury. "In the end, soccer is about being successful together. If one of the two is clearly better than the other in March, then I have the joy, but also the sorrow, of making decisions in both a positive and negative sense," said Nagelsmann.
Ter Stegen had deputized for Neuer in eight of eleven possible international matches during his injury break this year and was regarded as the clear German number one during this time. Neuer has always been in goal for the DFB team at World Cups and European Championships since 2010.
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Source: www.stern.de
