Nagelsmann says Neuer controversy is closed
Julian Nagelsmann is backing Manuel Neuer to get back to his "outstanding" best as the Bayern Munich coach looks to move on from the recent controversy surrounding the goalkeeper.
Neuer attracted criticism from the club's hierarchy after an interview with The Athletic, in which he said the dismissal of close friend and goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic was "a blow – when I was already down on the ground".
Bayern captain Neuer is out for the season after breaking his leg during a skiing trip shortly after the FIFA World Cup, and his comments led to speculation regarding his future.
Germany great Lothar Matthaus called for Neuer to be stripped of the captaincy, while some have suggested January arrival Yann Sommer may replace him as Bayern's first-choice goalkeeper.
Nagelsmann, however, considers the matter closed and is focused on helping Neuer in his recovery.
"Everything I discuss with players stays internal. Manu's job is to get fit again. My job is to support him," he said ahead of this weekend's meeting with Bochum.
"I ask you to let it rest. It's important that the topic is buried soon. Everyone knows that healing the body is also closely related to the thoughts in your head.
"Manu is currently the captain of this team, you will see everything else. I am certain that Manu will be an outstanding goalkeeper again."
Bayern is looking to extend a 12-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga when it faces Bochum, having inflicted two 7-0 routs on the struggler in the teams' past three meetings.
The German champion then takes on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie on Wednesday (AEDT), but Nagelsmann is taking things one game at a time.
"We have to get the game against Paris out of our heads because we have to keep our rhythm," he said.
"We haven't had that much flow in the last few weeks. Everything we do on Saturday can also have an impact on Tuesday's game."
PSG has claimed Kylian Mbappe is likely to miss the teams' first meeting after suffering a hamstring injury, while fellow attacking star Lionel Messi will sit out its Ligue 1 trip to Monaco this weekend with a similar problem.
Nagelsmann accused PSG of "playing poker" regarding Mbappe's availability last week, and the Bayern boss defended those comments on Saturday (AEDT).
"Paris is better with those two [Mbappe and Messi] than without. It's the same with us when two top players are out," he said.
"I've read a lot about my attack, which wasn't one. If a player is 'out' and then he plays, everyone says: 'What kind of idiot is Nagelsmann? He let himself be blinded'.
"My answer was just that I prepare like Mbappe is going to play, the same goes for Messi, I prepare the team as if they will both play, because they have other good players who can fill that position."
