Bayern Munich have progressed to the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after beating Flamengo 4-2 on Sunday.
Harry Kane was the protagonist of this victory as he scored a brilliant brace. Leon Goretzka also entered the scoresheet, while the fourth one was an own goal.
During the game, there were moments when Flamengo dominated possession and had a few chances, but Manuel Neuer stepped up and bailed out the Bavarians.
He came up with an astonishing save around the 15th minute mark of the game when he rejected Luiz Araujo’s shot from point-blank range.
The veteran German goalkeeper was asked about the save following Bayern’s victory. He shared how he has built these reflexes with daily practice.
“It’s a reflex. We saw something similar with the header against Arsenal or Cristiano’s [Ronaldo] shot at the Allianz Arena. These are situations in which you have implicit knowledge and processes that you practice on a daily basis. It’s important to tighten your hand so that it doesn’t move backwards. You need to build up enough resistance,” Neuer told BILD, explaining his exceptional save.
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What did Manuel Neuer say about Bayern Munich’s win?
Bayern Munich were coming to this game following a narrow defeat against Benfica in their final group game.
They showed better intensity in this match and scored early in the game to gain some control. However, there were moments in defence when they looked extremely vulnerable.
“Playing against a Brazilian team is fun; they also wanted the ball. You always have to be careful against teams like that. They invested a lot going forward. We tried to keep our style of play and create chances. We had that killer instinct today, which we lacked a bit against Benfica. That’s crucial if you want to progress.”
“We’ll keep going and move on to the next round against PSG. We know who we’re up against, we’ll analyze the game and hopefully build up some good momentum.”
Neuer is one of the most well-respected players at the Club World Cup due to his longevity. He was seen exchanging jerseys with Flamengo’s goalkeeper Agustin Rossi after the game.
The 39-year-old will have to keep up this form as Bayern Munich will lock horns against PSG in the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup, scheduled on July 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
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