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In a recent press conference, Chelsea striker Timo Werner could not contain his admiration for Bayern Munich goalkeeper and Germany captain Manuel Neuer. The 25-year-old knows exactly how lucky Germany is to have such a talented and composed leader between the sticks.
Werner has never scored against Neuer at the club level and understands exactly why the veteran has achieved icon status in Germany.
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“I’ve scored goals against Bayern, but never against him. Someone else was in goal,” Werner said (as captured by Bundesliga.com). “(Neuer is) sensational, and has been the best goalkeeper for years. For me, he’s the best in the world. In training, if you don’t put the ball right in the corner, it’s not going in. He has a magnificent aura and is a top-class goalkeeper.”
Germany will need Neuer to perform like the “top-class” goalkeeper that he is during the European Championships. With France and Portugal in the same group — and a defense that is just starting to gel a bit — Neuer will have to be on his toes to keep Die Mannschaft competitive.