Neuer looks forward to playing away at Schalke once again

With Schalke’s return to Bundesliga, Manuel Neuer is set to return to Veltins-Arena in the first week of September. In an interview with Bundesliga, the 40-year-old previewed FC Bayern’s first three games of the season.

“Dortmund is always the toughest challenge for us,” Neuer said ahead of the first game of the campaign on Saturday. “We're all looking forward to it. The Supercup was already important last year when we played in Stuttgart. Now we are playing in Dortmund.

“We have to give everything. And we are motivated and looking forward to it. It really is like a final. You have to say that. It’s the first cup we can win.” 

Neuer won the Supercup eight times with the Rekordmeister. If we only account for games he played, the legendary shot-stopper has only lost four times in 11 appearances, including a 2-0 defeat to Bayern in 2010 when he was a Schalke captain.

"I'm just looking forward to the atmosphere, the mood in the stadium, and just seeing familiar old faces,” Neuer replied when DFL asked him about the prospect of facing his former club on matchday two.

“Of course, there aren't as many there anymore, but there are a few staff members who still work there. And it's always nice to return to my old workplace. It's a very special feeling for me. It makes me think of my childhood and first years in professional football. And I'm really looking forward to that."

Neuer was part of the side that won Schalke’s last trophy with the 2009/10 DFB-Pokal triumph. The Royal Blues suffered two relegations since 2021, but they’re now back to top-flight football after their joint-longest 2. Bundesliga spell.

"That means a lot not only to the players and the officials but especially to the fans,” Neuer admitted even if he’s unpopular with some sections of the fans. “I think you could really see what was going on there. I believe the coaching staff did a really good job.

“At the beginning, everyone was kind of waiting for the slump to come and for the energy to run out towards the end. But it was really stable and very mature how Schalke finished it off. And that's why I'm happy that they are returning to the Bundesliga and hopefully will stay up there as well."

A week before the showdown in Schalke, Bayern will face Stuttgart at Allianz Arena in the first Bundesliga game of the season. The Bavarians beat Sebastian Hoeneß’s troops four times last term.

“First of all, they have a good team as well as a good coach,” Neuer also applauded Stuttgart’s progress through the former Bayern II coach. “They are well prepared to face us. They always try different tricks tactically. Often it hasn't worked out for VfB (Stuttgart) against us in the end. We have to withstand these challenges.”