Eberl Confirms Neuer Remains Bayern’s No.1 After Augsburg Error

Bayern Munich have dismissed concern over Manuel Neuer’s position after the goalkeeper’s error in the 2-2 Bundesliga draw with Augsburg, with sporting director Max Eberl insisting the 40-year-old remains the club’s established first choice ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Viking Stavanger.

Neuer retains Bayern backing

Neuer’s costly lapse against Augsburg intensified discussion over whether Bayern should accelerate a change in goal, particularly after the result denied them the opportunity to move to the Bundesliga summit. The match also featured the quickest goal ever recorded in the competition.

Eberl, however, said there was no internal uncertainty over the Bayern captain. He accepted that Neuer had made an error, but stressed that isolated mistakes should be viewed in the context of a professional career stretching across two decades.

The sporting director made clear that Neuer remains Bayern’s number one goalkeeper for the present, while the club continue to plan for the future of the position.

Urbig identified as long-term successor

Jonas Urbig is central to that planning. The 23-year-old has deputised for Neuer twice this season and impressed in both appearances, featuring in Bayern’s 2-1 league victory over SV Elversberg and their 4-1 DFB-Pokal success against VfL Osnabruck.

• Neuer is 40 and remains Bayern’s first-choice goalkeeper.
• Urbig, 23, has started twice during the current campaign.
• His appearances came against SV Elversberg and VfL Osnabruck.
• Eberl said Bayern have worked on their succession plan for roughly 18 months to two years.

Eberl described Urbig as the designated successor in Bayern’s longer-term thinking, but said events beyond the current situation would be assessed in time. For now, the club do not consider Neuer’s standing to be under threat.

Artificial pitch poses selection question in Norway

Vincent Kompany could yet use Urbig against Viking Stavanger, with Bayern due to play on an artificial surface in Norway. Such conditions have prompted suggestions that Neuer’s workload may be managed, particularly given the increased injury considerations often associated with synthetic pitches.

Eberl said Kompany had considered the issue but would not reveal the manager’s decision before the match. He also indicated that the coach has not adopted a blanket policy of leaving experienced players out whenever Bayern play on artificial turf.

The expectation remains that Kompany will select the strongest available side as Bayern seek another important European result.

Top-eight objective drives Bayern’s approach

Bayern opened their Champions League league-phase campaign with a 5-0 win against Bodo/Glimt, but Eberl warned that the Stavanger assignment would be difficult. He highlighted both the unfamiliar surface and the importance of collecting points in the competition’s new format.

A place in the top eight would send Bayern directly into the knockout stage and spare them a playoff tie. Eberl said the club must treat every league-phase fixture seriously as they pursue that objective, with victory in Norway taking priority over the debate around the goalkeeper selection.