Bayern Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was sent off for the first time in his illustrious career on Tuesday during the German Cup last-16 clash against Bayer Leverkusen. The 38-year-old was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul on Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong in the 18th minute, leaving the pitch in disbelief.
Neuer rushed out of his penalty area to intercept an advancing Frimpong, but in doing so, made a late challenge that brought the winger down. Referee Harm Osmers issued the red card, forcing Bayern to make an early substitution, bringing in Israel’s Daniel Peretz for his debut with the club. Neuer, visibly remorseful, was seen apologizing to Bayern’s coach Vincent Kompany as he left the field.
The red card was a rare moment in Neuer’s career, which had seen him accumulate 23 yellow cards, all at the club level. Notably, the 2014 World Cup-winning goalkeeper had never received a caution in his 124 international appearances for Germany.
In an analysis during the halftime break on TV channel ARD, Germany’s head coach Julian Nagelsmann, a former Bayern manager, commented on the sending-off, calling it “indisputable.” Nagelsmann added, “Understanding space has always been Manu’s strength, but here it might have been better to wait.”
The match between Bayern Munich and Leverkusen, the current holders of the German Cup, was already a tense affair, with referee Osmers handing out three yellow cards in the first 22 minutes before Neuer’s dismissal. Despite Bayern’s numerical disadvantage, Peretz’s introduction marked a significant moment for the Israeli goalkeeper, who joined the club in the summer of 2023 but had yet to feature in a competitive match.
The incident has left Bayern’s defense significantly weakened as they battled to overcome Leverkusen, a team that has been in strong form this season.