Neuer Becomes Bayern's Oldest Player, Then Goes Off Injured

Bayern Munich beat Mainz 2-1 on Saturday, yet the attention is on Manuel Neuer. He made club history, almost gave the hosts an equaliser and was taken off hurt before half-time.

How rare his mistakes used to be

Sofascore, working from Opta data, counts five errors leading to a goal in Neuer's last 17 Bundesliga games. That works out at one every 3.4 matches. Over the 248 games before that stretch he made only 10, or one every 24.8.

The latest on that list came last month against Augsburg. Robin Fellhauer scored after eight seconds, the fastest goal ever recorded in the Bundesliga, and the game ended 2-2.

Saturday at Mainz

With Bayern leading 1-0, Neuer swung and missed at a cross. Lee Jae-sung of Mainz put the ball in the net. Bayern were spared only because the goal was ruled out for offside.

Neuer then passed Bernd Dreher as the oldest player to appear for Bayern, at 40 years and 225 days. The record came with a price. A foot injury that had kept him out of earlier games returned, and Jonas Urbig came on for him before the interval.

His comeback had been recent. Neuer missed four games with the foot problem after the Augsburg draw, and only returned for this week's 2-0 Champions League win at Atlético Madrid. Saturday was his second game since that fixture.

Table and rivals

Dortmund were given a scare by promoted Elversberg but won 2-1, with both goals from Felix Nmecha. They remain level with Bayern on 21 points from nine games. Bayern lead on goal difference.

Harry Kane, the Ballon d'Or winner, did not score at Mainz. He did set up goals for Joshua Kimmich and 18-year-old Lennart Karl. Bayern's unbeaten run away from home in the league has reached 31 games.

Third-placed RB Leipzig trail the leaders by three points after a 5-2 home win over Augsburg. Eintracht Frankfurt drew 2-2 at Paderborn, thanks to a 93rd-minute equaliser from Jonathan Burkardt.

Source: the Guardian