Four nights after his milestone 200th appearance for Barcelona, Marc-Andre ter Stegen tonight makes his first start for his country for over a year. It is a special occasion, he was reminded. Germany against Argentina in Dortmund may be a friendly, but the performance of the home goalkeeper will draw close scrutiny.
Ter Stegen addressed the media yesterday, expecting to be coaxed to come boldly off his line, to face tests of his reflex responses to questions about the controversies he provoked after the last international break.
“Trips with the national team have been really hard for me,” he had said, having watched his latest two Euro 2020 qualifiers from the bench, adding that his growing status at Barcelona left him frustrated at playing perennial back-up to Manuel Neuer with his country.
With those remarks, the fragile rebuilding efforts of a Germany in recovery from a disastrous 2018 World Cup were rocked. Neuer criticised Ter Stegen, while Bayern Munich president, Uli Hoeness made the inflammatory suggestion that, were Bayern's Neuer to be demoted by Germany coach Jogi Loew, no Bayern players should answer national call-ups, a statement Hoeness swiftly retracted.
This week, the carefully-organised peace plan. Loew told Ter Stegen he would play against Argentina, but that the hierarchy would be restored for Sunday’s Euro qualifier in Estonia. For Loew, Neuer is “captain and number one goalkeeper” all the way into the European Championship finals next summer.
So was tonight, against an Argentina missing Lionel Messi because of suspension, just a consolation prize for the ambitious Ter Stegen? The goalkeeper did not feel like that, he said. “It’s an opportunity for everyone to show their best. Jogi has made his statement, and obviously Manu [Neuer] has a head-start. But I want to make it as hard as possible for the coach not to pick me. You never know what might happen in the next nine months.”
He and Neuer have a “professional relationship,” Ter Stegen insisted, though he acknowledged the Bayern-versus-country controversy their rivalry had grown into had generated “too much talk”.
There will be more talk. Ter Stegen, now as valued at Barcelona as perhaps any player except Messi, has his lobbyists; Neuer counts on an almost absolute faith in his leadership, experience and proactive style from Loew. And the duel plays into a favourite national storyline, of fine keepers contesting a single jersey, unable to keep their combat quiet.
A decade or so ago, there was Bayern Munich’s Oliver Kahn versus Arsenal’s Jens Lehmann, men who talked about each other more than they ever exchanged pleasantries. “What would we talk about?” Lehman once said of his rival, adding that aspects of Kahn’s colourful private life meant they had little in common.
It was in a game against Argentina, in Berlin in the summer of 2006, that Kahn and Lehmann finally ended their enduring Punch-and-Judy joust with a famous, photogenic moment. Germany were a penalty shoot-out away from a World Cup semi-final and Kahn, who had been demoted before the tournament to second choice, had his most important conversation with Lehmann just before the spot-kicks. Tips were shared, encouragement given. Lehmann made two saves, putting Germany through.
Loew was assistant coach at the time, trying to delicately manage the rivalry. He stuck with Lehmann for two years after becoming head coach and then welcomed the emergence of Neuer as a dashing young keeper apparently designed for a modern, high-line, play-from-the-back football.
Neuer takes risks in marking out his domain well beyond the edge of the penalty area. His errors, though rare, are conspicuous, but his boldness has been an asset for the best part of a decade.
Loew trusted Neuer in 2018, even when the Bayern keeper came out of a nine-month injury lay-off only weeks before the World Cup, Ter Stegen having deputised capably through the absence. Neuer started and finished the short campaign as No 1, and the only blessing for Loew was that Germany’s disastrous group stage exit meant Ter Stegen had less time to seethe on the substitutes bench.
But seethe he did, complaining last month: “It’s hard to find an explanation.” Neuer answered sharply: “We are a team, and should be acting as a team. We have several superb goalkeepers who all want to be playing.”
That was a nod to Arsenal’s Bernd Leno, currently third in Loew’s hierarchy. Leno and Ter Stegen came through Germany’s age-group teams together, when the ferocity of their competition for a starting place became notorious. They shared a room at one stage in their teens. It did not work out, so they were kept apart.
Neuer, at 33, knows he will eventually be deposed. Ter Stegen is 27. Leno’s bad luck is to be exactly the same age. He has perhaps a decade of spiky rivalry to come.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
BRAZIL%20SQUAD
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Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
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Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Schedule for show courts
Centre Court - from 4pm UAE time
Johanna Konta (6) v Donna Vekic
Andy Murray (1) v Dustin Brown
Rafael Nadal (4) v Donald Young
Court 1 - from 4pm UAE time
Kei Nishikori (9) v Sergiy Stakhovsky
Qiang Wang v Venus Williams (10)
Beatriz Haddad Maia v Simona Halep (2)
Court 2 - from 2.30pm
Heather Watson v Anastasija Sevastova (18)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) v Simone Bolelli
Florian Mayer v Marin Cilic (7)
