Germany goalkeepers involved in verbal spat
Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Manuel Neuer were involved in a verbal spat following the former's lack of game time for Germany recently.
Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer don't seem to be on the same page after comments from one another regarding playing time.
Ter Stegen, 27, and Neuer, 33, have been the two choices of goalkeepers for Germany but the former has played second fiddle to the Bavarian all his career. The Barcelona shot stopper just has 22 caps comapred to Neuer's 90 and looks like he ain't too happy about it.
"It's not easy to find an explanation for what I am experiencing," he said. "I am still trying everything, but this trip with Germany was a tough blow for me."
Ter Stegen has just played 45 minutes in the past one year while Neuer has played 10 including all the five Euro 2020 qualifying games so far.
Neuer also responded to Ter Stegen's comments by saying that he should focus on the team.
"I'm not sure if that helps us. We are a team and should present ourselves as such. We have great goalkeepers. We have Kevin Trapp, Bernd Leno... these are all great goalkeepers who also want to play and then sit on the bench.
"We are a team. We have to stick together. The goalkeepers also have to stick together," the Germany captain said.
Neuer's comments did not go down too well with the Barcelona goalie and he addressed them at a news conference before Barca's Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund.
"I don't think it is up to Manuel to express an opinion on my feelings," he said. "Everyone has seen how I have conducted myself over the last few years," the27-year-old said.
He walked the talk however with a penalty save and an inspiring performance as Barcelona escaped Signa Iduna Park with goalless draw against an attacking Dortmund team.
"I think they had some clear chances at times when we weren't organised very well, but I think we played well. With the quality they have, it's difficult to avoid (them having chances)," he said after the game.