Goalkeeper demoted in favor of Neuer accuses coach Nagelsmann: “It wasn't cool”

After Manuel Neuer withdrew from the German national team, a year and a half ago, and the one who was supposed to take his place, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, kept getting injured, Oliver Baumann advanced to the position of number 1 in the national team.

Oliver Baumann: “It was very difficult for me”

And he defended really well. However, coach Julian Nagelsmann feels safer with Neuer (40 years old) between the sticks and finally convinced him to return to the team, promising him that he will be number 1 at the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada (June 11 – July 19).

For Baumann it was a blow below the belt and he couldn't contain his frustration. And on Saturday evening, at the end of the friendly with the USA (2-1), he publicly said exactly what he thinks about Nagelsmann's decision.

“After he told me the decision, it was really hard for me, for sure. It wasn't cool,” the Hoffenheim goalkeeper told the cameras. However, he claims that he never thought about leaving the national team: “It was immediately clear to me that, even so, I want to go to the World Cup. I want to help the team.”

Oliver Baumann on the relationship with Manuel Neuer: “Let's leave it at that”

Neuer traveled to the USA, to Chicago, but did not play in the friendly with the Yankees due to a muscle problem that has been bothering him for a long time. So Baumann was also among the stumps, and Urbig (Bayern) and Nubel (VfB Stuttgart) were his unused reserves.

Asked if the reunion with Manuel Neuer was tense, the 'Hoffe' goalkeeper replied: 'Let's leave it at that. Our relationship is still a good one and we will both do everything for the team and its success”.

Neuer would resume his place in the first eleven with the start of the Germans in the final tournament, scheduled for June 14, against the representative of Curacao.