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 following 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 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 at a press conference to preview Saturday'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 are looking to extend a 12-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga when they face Bochum, having inflicted two 7-0 routs on the strugglers in the teams' last three meetings.
The German champions then take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, 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 have 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 their Ligue 1 trip to Monaco on Saturday with a similar problem.
Nagelsmann accused PSG of "playing poker" regarding Mbappe's availability last week, and the Bayern boss defended those comments on Friday.
"Paris are 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."
Eve, Shabazz welcome two-match friendly to gauge players readiness
Trinidad and Tobago's Head coach Angus Eve and his Guyanese counterpart Jamaal Shabazz welcomed the upcoming two-match friendly international series as a window to not only give new players an opportunity to strut their stuff, but also to gauge their overall readiness for the World Cup qualifiers.
The senior Soca Warriors and their Jaguars counterparts will lock horns on May 13 and 15 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, as they kick start preparations for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June, as well as the Concacaf Nations League campaign in September.
Eve pointed out that a handful of new players will be given the opportunity in the two matches owing to their good form in the ongoing 2023/24 T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) season.
Defenders Sheldon Bateau, Josiah Trimmingham and Andre Raymond, who became a regular fixture at left back toward the backend of the Soca Warriors' 2023/24 Nations League campaign, have completed their respective club seasons and are expected to be involved in the friendlies. Daniel David, Ezekiel Kesar, Isaiah Lee, Matthew Woo-Ling and the Miscellaneous Police FC pair of Simeon Bailey and Josiah Wilson, will also be in the mix to stake a claim on a spot in the squad for the major tournaments.
"We see these games as a very important cog in the wheel of our preparations going into the World Cup campaign for 2026," Eve said, via a T&T Football Association release.
"It's an ongoing programme that we have started since I have come on board where we get some international games to get the locally based players up to speed to see how they perform against international opposition,” he added.
Guyana, guided by Shabazz, a former T&T coach, gained promotion for the upcoming Nations League A campaign after topping their Nations League B group, which included Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas and Puerto Rico. This represents their competitiveness and quality which Eve is expecting to see on show against his team.
"Guyana is also in the League A of the Nations League so it's not slouches we will be playing. It gives the local players a final opportunity to be seen outside of their league against international opposition so that we can pick the final squad. That is what these exercises are about,” Eve noted.
That said, the tactician explained that meetings with recently-elected TTFA president Kieron Edwards, have been fruitful.
"The TTFA president has been in the media saying how positive the meetings were and we think they were also positive from our end. He and his new board are committed to helping us and the country to qualify for another World Cup,” Eve shared.
Meanwhile, Shabazz believes the Soca Warriors are formidable opponents, as he praised the TTFA and the Guyana Football Federation for their huge investments with the staging of the friendly matches.
"Of course, whether it is football, cricket, hockey or rugby, when Guyana plays T&T, we want to win so it's also going to be a title fight. Trinidad and Tobago are formidable opponents, and it will provide a stern test for the home-based players vying for a spot in the final squad for our FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June,” Shabazz said.
The last meeting between the two teams at the same venue ended in a 1-1 stalemate two years ago.
Kick-off will be 7 pm on both days, with tickets priced at $75 (covered section) and $50 (uncovered section).
Kompany says Burnley have nothing to lose in do-or-die Tottenham clash
Vincent Kompany says Burnley have no choice but to go "all out" in their final two games of the Premier League season, needing to win both to have any chance of avoiding relegation.
The Clarets approach Saturday's trip to Tottenham in 19th, five points adrift of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, who they face at the City Ground on the final day.
To tee up a winner-take-all clash with Nuno Espirito Santo's team, Burnley must win at Spurs and hope Forest lose to Chelsea later on Saturday, given the Clarets possess a vastly inferior goal difference.
With Burnley facing up to the prospect of a fourth relegation from the Premier League, Kompany says they have nothing to lose.
"Let's just go all out. Let's have a good go and do ourselves proud," he said.
"That's the goal we have. I would love the fans to come out of this place with a special experience.
"In the end, I wouldn't describe this as a high-pressure game. We don't have anything to lose. If we go into the game protecting a two-point lead, then it's a different mindset."
Tottenham, meanwhile, appear destined to miss out on Champions League qualification after losing four straight Premier League games, leaving them needing a perfect set of results to overhaul fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Spurs' defensive frailties were ruthlessly exploited in a 4-2 defeat to Liverpool last time out, leading to criticism of Ange Postecoglou from some sections of the fanbase.
However, the former Celtic boss says he needs time to complete Tottenham's turnaround, telling Optus Sport: "It was never going to happen in two transfer windows.
"What you've got to remember is, when I came in last year, the team had finished eighth last season, but it wasn't a team on the climb.
"It was eighth for a team going in the other direction. So you've got eighth, in decline, you lose your best player and we want you to totally change the way we play."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tottenham – Richarlison
Richarlison recorded a goal and an assist off the bench against Liverpool last week. He is the only player to achieve that feat as a substitute twice this season, also doing so in Spurs' 2-1 win over Sheffield United back in September.
The Brazilian could be reintroduced into Postecoglou's lineup on Saturday, and he will be desperate to make an impact amid rumours concerning his Tottenham future.
Burnley – Arijanet Muric
While Muric has been criticised for making some high-profile errors, he has the highest save percentage of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this season (81.3 per cent).
Despite playing just eight games, he has also prevented the second most goals (seven) in the league, according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model (18 xGoT faced, 11 goals conceded excluding own goals). He could be busy again on Saturday.
MATCH PREDICTION – TOTTENHAM WIN
Tottenham have won seven of their eight previous Premier League home games against Burnley (one draw), winning the last four without conceding. Only against Crystal Palace between 2015 and 2019 have they won five in a row at home while keeping a clean sheet each time in the competition.
Spurs have, however, gone 13 home league games without a clean sheet – their longest run since enduring a 15-match streak between December 2002 and September 2003.
Last week's loss at Anfield represented the fourth time they have conceded four or more goals in a Premier League game this season, their most in a single campaign since 2013-14 (five).
As Tottenham look to avoid losing five straight Premier League games for the first time since 2004 (a run of six under Jacques Santini and Martin Jol), they may just be thankful for this fixture against the Clarets, who have been found wanting at the top level this season.
Burnley have lost all seven of their league games against teams starting the day in the top five this term by an aggregate score of 24-7 – including a 5-2 defeat in the reverse fixture at Turf Moor.
While Kompany's team will give it a go, their campaign looks destined to end in relegation.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Tottenham – 64%
Burnley – 13.8%
Draw – 22.2%
Tchouameni an injury doubt for Champions League final
Aurelien Tchouameni is an injury doubt for Real Madrid’s Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund next month.
Madrid came from behind to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in their semi-final second leg on Wednesday, but the Frenchman was forced off in the 70th minute.
Tchouameni has sustained a stress injury to his left foot, which will reportedly rule him out for three to four weeks.
He will miss Madrid’s final three games of the LaLiga season against Alaves, Villarreal and Real Betis, and is now a major doubt to play in the Champions League final on June 1.
Madrid have lost just two games in all competitions this campaign, and Tchouameni did not start either of them.
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