The 40-year-old goalkeeper endured a nightmare start to Saturday’s Bavarian derby when he lost control of a pass shortly after kick-off. Robin Fellhauer capitalised to score after just eight seconds, setting a new record for the fastest goal in Bundesliga history.
The error immediately put Bayern on the back foot, although the champions recovered to claim a point after twice falling behind. Ismael Saibari equalised in the second half before Nathaniel Brown scored the late goal that made it 2-2.
Neuer’s mistake inevitably prompted questions about his position, particularly with Jonas Urbig and Sven Ulreich also part of the club’s goalkeeping group. Eberl, however, made clear that one poor moment would not alter the plan Bayern have followed for almost two years.
“Manuel made a mistake at the 1-0 goal. It probably wasn’t the only mistake he has made during his two decades as a professional footballer. We have absolutely no doubts about Manu,” Eberl said.
He also reaffirmed the club’s existing arrangement between their goalkeepers.
“We have a clear plan that we have followed for almost two years, together with Jonas Urbig and Sven Ulreich as part of the goalkeeping team. Manu is our first choice, and he will continue to be,” the sporting director added.
Eberl’s support came despite the severity of Neuer’s opening error. The Bayern captain miscontrolled a pass from Luis Díaz and was unable to recover before Fellhauer took advantage.
The goalkeeper was not the only reason Bayern failed to win, however. Augsburg restored their lead through Rodrigo Ribeiro in the 64th minute, while Bayern had several goals ruled out for offside and created enough chances to take all three points.
Eberl acknowledged that the team had made several mistakes during the match, rather than placing the entire responsibility on Neuer. Bayern Munich remain committed to their established goalkeeping plan as they prepare for their next fixture, away to Viking in the Champions League.
For Neuer, the immediate task is to respond on the pitch. Eberl’s comments leave little doubt that Bayern continue to trust their experienced captain despite the high-profile error.