TV footage exonerates Neuer - Magath criticises rush to prejudge
29.09.2009
The anger in the Schalke camp over the circumstances surrounding the derby had still not subsided on Monday, the reason being the unsubstantiated allegations made by Borussia Dortmund players against Manuel Neuer. That the allegations are unfounded has been proved by TV footage of the incident.
Kevin Grosskreutz, Nuri Sahin and Marcel Schmelzer had accused the Schalke keeper of violent conduct towards Grosskreutz without providing a single piece of evidence. Despite this Neuer was pilloried by large sections of the media. "It's very alarming that these days unproven claims will lead to people being prejudged and they then have to prove their innocence", said a highly critical Felix Magath. "It's a loss of morals. Players used to fight to win games, but after the final whistle everything was forgotten. Now allegations are made up out of thin air and still get spread."
After the final whistle on Saturday the Schalke keeper and the Dortmund youngster came together near the half-way line. The TV footage shows Grosskreutz approaching Neuer from behind. Neuer, who hasn't seen the Dortmund player, moves backwards, and if anything there is a slight push by Grosskreutz.
It remains a mystery why the Dortmund players later described the situation as follows: "He dropped one on me with his elbow", claimed Grosskreutz in an interview with German tabloid Bild, "it was totally deliberate." Nuri Sahin and Marcel Schmelzer made similar claims on the Borussia Dortmund website. "It's inacceptable when the Schalke goalkeeper makes a show of things, hits one of our players and then denies it all", said Sahin. "The opposition goalkeeper hit (...) Kevin Grosskreutz in the face with his elbow", was Schmelzer's version.
Neuer had already vehemently denied this shortly after the final whistle. "It was nothing at all and I'm not lying", reiterated the keeper after training on Monday afternoon. On Sunday evening regional television channel WDR showed pictures of the incident in its Bundesliga on Sunday programme that drew the following comment from presenter Claus Lufen: "Neuer moves back, but where's the elbow? There's nothing to see."
