His teammates then failed to build on that lead. Dayot Upamecano nodded in from a Joshua Kimmich free-kick to make it 3–5, and the outstanding Luis Díaz pulled one back with a magnificent solo run and a superb assist from Harry Kane. In the end, the scoreline meant Neuer made Champions League history for all the wrong reasons.
For the first time since detailed records began in 2010, a Champions League knockout-stage goalkeeper shipped five goals without making a single save. Yet Neuer could hardly be faulted.
“You saw the goals. It’s hard to save one of those. Twice it was very close, where I might have got there or even touched it,” he explained afterwards. Even with Dembele’s penalty to make it 2-3 shortly before half-time, Neuer was in the right corner but could not keep the ball out.
“Conceding five goals unsettles any defence and goalkeeper. But we’re not hiding from that. We’re focusing on the second leg,” Neuer said, sounding optimistic about the return match next week at the Allianz Arena. “If we’re on our game, we can exploit their defence. And at the back, we can certainly do better than we did today.”
At the Allianz Arena, he can at least rely on his own ball boys.