Neuer: The good thing is of course that we have won our games so far. We know that Roma have started well and it will be tough to win there. I’m personally looking forward to the match as I have never played in the Olympic Stadium before. It’s good that we put in a quality performance against Bremen and had a successful dress rehearsal.
Question: What do you make of Roma?
Neuer: They’re a good side. They’ll be looking to get forward so we will need a top defensive performance. I’m expecting to have to make some saves. It will be a completely different game and a difficult task.
Question: It could be the game that could all but wrap up top spot in the group.
Neuer: We’re going to Rome with the intention of winning. We know that we’re facing strong opponents and we’ll have to put everything into the game.
Question: You will also be visiting the Pope. How are you preparing for that?
Neuer: I think it’ll be one where we turn up in our suits. Sadly we’re not visiting him before the game. Otherwise, we could have gone into the match with the big guy upstairs watching over us.
Record champions Bayern München underlined their dominance in the Bundesliga once again on Saturday with a 6-0 win over Werder Bremen. World Champions Philipp Lahm and Mario Götze both bagged a brace in the victory, with the other goals coming from Thomas Müller’s penalty and Xabi Alonso’s free kick. It was a quiet afternoon for Manuel Neuer in the FCB goal, but he’ll be kept busier in Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with AS Roma. We spoke to Germany’s number 1 about the win, a first for Lahm and the upcoming match against the Italian outfit.
Question: Herr Neuer, it was a rather lonely afternoon for you against Werder Bremen, right?
Manuel Neuer: It was a good performance. We started well and it carried on. I didn’t really notice during the game that Bremen hadn’t had a shot. I was regularly included, so I wasn’t simply a spectator; I had a few touches.
Question: Was that one of those games that you quickly forget about as a Bayern player because it was such a simple win?
Neuer: I don’t think so because this game is part of the season. We had a cushion after the first half and that makes things easier after the break. I think we started really well. Bremen tried to press high up the pitch early on, but we played out from the back well; we kept our composure and scored the goals and that made the game easier.
Question: Philipp Lahm even managed to score his first brace of his career.
Neuer: Lately we’ve seen him pop up in the box and get forward quite a bit. Unfortunately he’s never really been able to get a goal. We’re all delighted that Philipp has got his first brace in the Bundesliga.
Question: What kind of a match are you expecting in the Champions League against AS Roma?
Neuer: The good thing is of course that we have won our games so far. We know that Roma have started well and it will be tough to win there. I’m personally looking forward to the match as I have never played in the Olympic Stadium before. It’s good that we put in a quality performance against Bremen and had a successful dress rehearsal.
Question: What do you make of Roma?
Neuer: They’re a good side. They’ll be looking to get forward so we will need a top defensive performance. I’m expecting to have to make some saves. It will be a completely different game and a difficult task.
Question: It could be the game that could all but wrap up top spot in the group.
Neuer: We’re going to Rome with the intention of winning. We know that we’re facing strong opponents and we’ll have to put everything into the game.
Question: You will also be visiting the Pope. How are you preparing for that?
Neuer: I think it’ll be one where we turn up in our suits. Sadly we’re not visiting him before the game. Otherwise, we could have gone into the match with the big guy upstairs watching over us.
