Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer underlines GOAT status in Madrid
Manuel Neuer was the best goalkeeper in the world in his 20s and 30s, and arguably still is after turning 40 at the end of March. Just ask Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior...
Real's fearsome duo were repelled time and again as Bayern ran out 2-1 winners in the Spanish capital, the Bundesliga leaders seizing a priceless first-leg advantage in their blockbuster UEFA Champions League tie
Mbappé did manage to squeeze a goal past Neuer after Luis Díaz and Harry Kane had put Bayern 2-0 up, but that took nothing away from what was a true goalkeeping clinic by the evergreen German custodian.
"I think Neuer was MVP," admitted Real coach Álvaro Arbeloa. "We had so many chances to score more goals, but we didn't do it."
Neuer made nine saves in total, on what was his 136th Champions League appearance in Bayern colours. For reference, only former goalkeeping great Iker Casillas has made more for one club (149 for Real).
The former Germany No.1 exuded confidence when facing down Mbappé and Vinicius in one-on-ones, and pulled off diving saves his once teenaged self would have been proud of.
Even when his resistance was broken at close quarters in the 74th minute, the 40-year-old stopper still managed to get a hand to the effort.
"Was it really in? That's outrageous! It must have been a goalkeeping error," Neuer joked afterwards.
Neuer wasn't the only Bayern player smiling about his heroics at full-time. Defender Jonathan Tah praised his teammate's "special aura", while head coach Vincent Kompany highlighted his captain's all-round brilliance in a position he has redefined and made his own.
"With great goalkeepers, they make incredible saves at incredible angles look so easy. He is still very good with his positioning, defending the back line. We won't win the competition without more of these kind of performances," the Belgian added.
Should Bayern go on and win this season's competition, Neuer would become only the fourth goalkeeper of the Champions League era to lift the trophy three times, after Casillas, Keylor Naves and Víctor Valdés.
The former Schalke man would also etch his decorated name into the record books as the oldest keeper to win the competition, surpassing Edwin van der Sar, who was 37 years and 205 days old when he helped Manchester United to the prize in 2008.
Neuer will be 93 days past his 40th birthday on the day of the final in Budapest on 30 May - but don't read too much into that. For the greatest goalkeeper of all time, age is just a number.
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