Manuel Neuer was a happy man after Bayern Munich saw off Leipzig 3-1 in Saturday's friendly. The veteran goalkeeper insisted his side had treated the game seriously and produced a convincing display, despite the wholesale changes made by coach Vincent Kompany.
Neuer said, in press statements after the match: "First of all, I have to say the feeling is good. Every friendly must be taken seriously, regardless of the team we face."
He continued: "We also played against Aston Villa in Asia, and we put in a very convincing performance, as we did today. Of course there were many changes, and the coach tried to give the players minutes and manage their playing time a little. We deserved to win today and we delivered a good performance."
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The Bayern captain also looked ahead, with talk swirling that he could retire next summer. "I will let things take their natural course, then see what happens. I will play the season to compete for the biggest targets, and after that we will see what happens," he said.
Neuer had earlier suggested that 2026-2027 could be his final campaign, having signed a one-year extension with Bayern. His latest words, though, leave the door ajar to a change of heart.
The Leipzig fixture formed part of Bayern's build-up to next Saturday's domestic Super Cup against Borussia Dortmund. They then open their Bundesliga campaign against Stuttgart on 28 August.