Manuel Neuer set a new Champions League record after churning out a clean sheet in victory against Arsenal.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In a thrilling encounter at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Arsenal, with Joshua Kimmich’s second-half goal proving to be the difference maker. The win propelled Bayern to a 3-2 aggregate victory over Mikel Arteta’s side, following a 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
However, the spotlight of the match fell on Bayern’s veteran goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, who etched his name into the annals of Champions League history with yet another remarkable achievement. By keeping a clean sheet in his 138th appearance in the competition, Neuer surpassed the legendary Iker Casillas to become the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in the competition’s history. Casillas had previously held the record with 57 clean sheets in 177 games, but Neuer’s consistent excellence has now elevated him to the pinnacle of goalkeeping in Europe’s premier club competition.
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WHAT NEUER SAIDAfter the victory, Neuer told DAZN: “It feels good. We put in a very good performance. We gave them very little. That discipline was the deciding factor today.”
DID YOU KNOW?While Neuer basks in the glory of his latest milestone, he remains aware of the challenges that lie ahead. Competitors like Jan Oblak and Marc-André ter Stegen trail behind with 35 and 32 clean sheets respectively, posing as potential challengers to Neuer’s record in the future.
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WHAT NEXT FOR NEUER?
As Bayern prepares to face Real Madrid in the semi-finals, Neuer will be eager to add to his ever-increasing tally by shutting out Casillas’ former team. The two European giants meet at Allianz Arena on April 30 followed by a second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 8.
First published by: Goal
