Kompany full of praise for Neuer: "Still out to prove himself to everyone" | OneFootball

Before the Bundesliga match against TSG Hoffenheim, Vincent Kompany spoke in detail about Manuel Neuer. The FC Bayern coach raved about the role of his captain and assessed his current career phase.

“I see what Manu delivers in training and in matches – his performances are outstanding. For a long time, I only knew Manu as an opponent, but since we’ve been working together, his level has improved almost every week,” Kompany explained at the matchday press conference.

For the Belgian coach, the 39-year-old is much more than just a world-class goalkeeper: “He has already achieved everything in his career. That’s why it’s important to me that he enjoys the games.”

“A mix of focus and composure”

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Kompany is particularly impressed by the way Neuer handles his experience: “There are phases in your career when you don’t feel any pressure. At the very beginning, Lennart Karl feels no pressure, he’s a young player. And when, like Manu, you’ve achieved everything, it becomes normal again – no one can take the titles away from you anymore, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

At the same time, Kompany emphasized that Neuer sees this status differently: “Even though his mentality is certainly different, he’ll see it differently; he still wants to prove everything to everyone.”

For Kompany, the secret to Neuer’s class is a special blend: “It’s a mix of focus and complete composure. As a young player, you go full throttle; as you get older, you go more with the flow of the game and make decisions at the right moment. He’s now in that phase of his career.”

Kompany doesn’t hold back on praise for Neuer. For the Bayern coach, the captain is a key figure who, despite all his successes, still shows hunger – and at the same time radiates the composure of a player who has already won everything.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.