Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has heaped praise on goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after the veteran produced a standout performance in Bayern’s 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
Goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane put the Bundesliga leaders in a commanding position at the Santiago Bernabeu, but a strike from Kylian Mbappe pulled one back for the hosts. Throughout the match, Neuer delivered a series of crucial saves—particularly against Mbappe, the competition’s leading scorer—earning him the Man of the Match award.
“If he was the best player, then I’m also happy with that, it’s not a problem,” Kompany told reporters post-match. “You always need special performances at this level in these types of games.”
Kompany also highlighted Neuer’s enduring excellence at the top level, emphasizing his longevity and continued impact. “Manu is one of the very few—not just able to do it for a long time, but for a very, very long time,” Kompany noted. “To still perform like he does now, that is something not many goalkeepers, even the top ones, are able to do.”
Despite conceding to Mbappe in the 74th minute, Kompany expressed his satisfaction with the result and looked ahead with optimism to the second leg in Munich next week.
“We’re happy with the result. It’s a win, and any win in Madrid’s Bernabeu is an important result,” said Kompany. “It’s something we can build on. Next, we play at home, and while we respect Real Madrid’s quality—they created some dangerous moments—we stayed really dangerous as well. The idea is to try and win the next game at home.”
Bayern will now look to build on this advantage as they return to Munich for the decisive second leg, with Kompany and his squad aiming to secure a place in the Champions League semi-finals.
