A seven figure fine for Neuer, the keeper meets Naglesmann in private

A hectic atmosphere in the Bayern camp ahead of the first game with PSG in the knockout round of the Champions League. It’s the same in Paris too, but the reasons are different. Unlike in Munich, in Paris there are football reasons for the hot atmosphere. Apart from Kylian Mbappe, it’s now Lionel Messi who is also questionable to play due to an injury and this could be a major problem for the French champion. In Bavaria, their long-term injured captain Manuel Neuer will not play anyway, but it’s his off the pitch actions which caused a stir in Munich. And we’ll see if a 1.6 million euros fine will solve the matter or not.

After being careless and injured himself during skiing after the World Cup, Neuer was also careless after giving an unauthorized interview for The Athletic, in which he criticized the club for sacking his longtime goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalović. And punishment for his actions are coming this week. The Bavarians have prepared a hefty fine for their rebel keeper, and they also brought him a new coach, and this one was chosen by coach Julian Nagelsmann.

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In the BILD podcast "Bayern Insider", Christian Falk wrote that the club will fine the keeper one monthly wage, which is around the mentioned sum. Bayern will look for their contract with Neuer to find the official reason for a penalty, and that would be a "Part G" section. It is said over there that FC Bayern can determine fines of up to one gross monthly salary. With Manuel Neuer's estimated annual salary of over 20 million euros, that would be around 1.6 million euros in the case of the goalkeeper. The clause applies, among other things, to "intentional" and "negligent" offences. It is at the discretion of the Bayern bosses whether they want to punish Neuer's interview as "intentional" or his ski tour as "negligent".

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Bild also reports that a private, ‘clear the air’ talks between coach Nagelsmann and Neuer already took place and that the matter will now be closed. Both men will continue to work ‘professionally’, but considering the damage already caused, the length of Neuer’s injury (won’t play this season), his age (36) and competition between sticks (Sommer and Nubel), it’s hard to imagine than Neuer will be Bayern’s number 1 come September. Hoffenheim’s Michael Rechner was also brought in as the new goalkeepers coach, and the club’s officials wanted to show commitment to the new man, so they paid a six figure sum for his hire. Maybe they used Neuer’s fine to pay the man?

Bundesliga - Matchday 20

Friday

22:30 Schalke 04 - Wolfsburg

Saturday

17:30 Hoffenheim - Bayer 04 Leverkusen

17:30 Mainz 05 – Augsburg

17:30 Bayern München - Bochum

17:30 Freiburg - Stuttgart

17:30 Werder Bremen - Borussia Dortmund

20:30 Leipzig - Union Berlin

Sunday

17:30 Hertha BSC - Borussia M'gladbach

19:30 FC Koln - Eintracht Frankfurt

***odds are subject to change