Bayern Munich secured a 2-1 victory over Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday but the form of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will again be in the spotlight after another error almost produced an equaliser for the home side in the first half.
Neuer became Bayern’s oldest player at 40 years, 225 days, overtaking Bernd Dreher, but was forced off with a recurrence of a foot injury that had kept him out of recent matches, replaced before half-time by Jonas Urbig.
Neuer was left flailing at a cross that resulted in Mainz’s Lee Jae-sung putting the ball in the back of the net with Bayern leading 1-0, though the effort was ruled out for offside.
Neuer’s mistake against Augsburg last month, which resulted in the fastest-ever Bundesliga goal after eight seconds by Robin Fellhauer, was the latest in a growing number for the keeper once regarded among the best in the world.
According to Sofascore using Opta data, that error was his fifth that led to a goal in his previous 17 Bundesliga games, or one every 3.4 matches. In 248 appearances before that, he made just 10 such errors, or one every 24.8 games.
Neuer has played twice since that Augsburg fixture, which ended 2-2, missing four games with the foot injury. He returned for this week’s 2-0 Champions League win at Atlético Madrid.
The Ballon d’Or winner Harry Kane could not find the net against Mainz but did provide two assists for Joshua Kimmich and 18-year-old Lennart Karl as Bayern extended their unbeaten away run in the league to 31 games.
They maintained their lead at the top of the Bundesliga from Borussia Dortmund with both clubs on 21 points from nine games. Bayern have a superior goal difference.
Dortmund were given a scare by promoted Elversberg but won 2-1, thanks to two goals from Felix Nmecha.
Third-placed RB Leipzig, who are three points behind the leaders, won 5-2 at home to Augsburg, while Jonathan Burkardt scored a 93rd-minute equaliser for Eintracht Frankfurt as they drew 2-2 at Paderborn in a battle between two mid-table sides.
Later on Saturday, Real Madrid can move level with Barcelona overnight at the top of La Liga by winning at Valencia; the leaders visit Atlético on Sunday. In Italy, a win for Roma at home to Sassuolo would put them a point behind their fellow Stadio Olimpico tenants, Lazio – the leaders visit Napoli on Sunday lunchtime. In France, Paris Saint-Germain can cement their place at the top of Ligue 1 by beating Troyes at home.
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