Loris Karius earns Manuel Neuer praise after Schalke 04 hold Bayern Munich

Loris Karius earns Manuel Neuer praise after Schalke 04 hold Bayern Munich FC Schalke 04 goalkeeper Loris Karius emerged as the clear hero of Saturday evening’s 0-0 draw against Bayern Munich , producing three outstanding saves to help the promoted side secure their first Bundesliga point in more than three years. Schalke spent long stretches defending against the German record champions, but Miron Muslic’s side refused to buckle. Karius denied Nathaniel Brown from close range in the first half before producing a foot save against Michael Olise shortly after the break. His best intervention came late. Harry Kane unleashed a powerful long-range effort in the 87th minute, only for Karius to produce a spectacular diving save and preserve the clean sheet. The performance even earned recognition from the goalkeeper at the opposite end. “He’s the right choice for Player of the Match,” Manuel Neuer told Sky Germany afterward. “He stopped the three big chances we had. That was the key.” The evening carried special significance for Neuer as well. Born in Gelsenkirchen and a member of the Schalke academy from the age of five, the Bayern captain spent 20 years with his hometown club before moving to Munich in 2011. With the 40-year-old having strongly indicated that the current campaign will likely be his final professional season , Saturday probably marked his last competitive appearance at the Veltins-Arena. Neuer and Karius later agreed to exchange shirts following a result that gave Schalke their first Bundesliga point since a 2-2 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt late in the 2022/23 campaign. Loris Karius: “That’s exactly who we are” Karius credited calmness and positioning for his own performance. “Stay calm and always have a good position,” the Schalke keeper told Sky Germany when asked how he managed to repeatedly frustrate Bayern. “That’s obviously not easy, especially against Bayern Munich. But I managed that well today. For me, it was great.” The former Liverpool goalkeeper nevertheless directed much of the praise toward his teammates. “What the lads put in — hats off,” Karius said. “They really worked until they had nothing left. And that’s exactly who we are. That’s what Schalke is about.” That collective willingness to suffer also formed the centerpiece of Muslic’s post-match analysis. Miron Muslic: “That was the start today” Schalke’s point carried greater significance than a respectable result against Bayern. The Royal Blues returned to the Bundesliga this season after their latest spell in the second division. Saturday’s draw therefore ended a wait of 1,204 days for another top-flight point. Muslic used the occasion to reinforce both Schalke’s historical identity and the difficult task ahead. “Schalke is a founding member of the Bundesliga,” the head coach told Sky . “We simply belong here. That was the start today. We are ready to fight against every obstacle over the next ten months. There will be highs and lows. “We are a promoted side,” Muslic continued. “We know our role. But we will do everything to ensure that, in ten months, we’re still standing here.” For Schalke, the point was built almost entirely on collective resistance. Karius supplied the spectacular moments. His teammates supplied the running, tackling and suffering required around him. Against Bayern, that proved enough. For Muslic, it must now become Schalke’s Bundesliga identity. GGFN  |  Peter Weis