VfL Bochum against FSV Mainz 05? This could be a close game on Tuesday evening (20.45) at Castroper Straße. If it comes down to a penalty shoot-out, the hosts will know they have an important trump card on their side.
Manuel Riemann has saved a total of 19 penalties in the Bundesliga, the 2. Liga and the 3. Liga so far, twelve for Bochum, five for Sandhausen, two for Osnabrück. No other goalkeeper currently under contract with one of the 56 teams in these three leagues has saved more than 13.
Not much is missing for record killer Kargus
The value of the 19 penalties Riemann has saved in the three German professional leagues is also clear from a statistic from the history of Germany’s highest division: in the 59 seasons, Rudi Kargus (23) is the keeper who has saved the most penalties in the Bundesliga. He is followed by Toni Schumacher (18) and Norbert Nigbur (17).
Legendary penalty shoot-out with Burghausen against Bayern
In addition, Riemann has also already held six penalties in the DFB Cup. He made one save in three penalties in the current match, five in 22 attempts in the penalty shoot-out. His performance against Bayern in 2007 is legendary: Riemann saved against Sosa and Demichelis, converted against Kahn himself, but still lost with Wacker Burghausen 3:4 in the penalty shoot-out.
The nerve-wracking final against FC Augsburg in the previous cup round was a real thriller this season. It was not until the penalty shoot-out that coach Thomas Reis called in his penalty specialist. All shooters scored first, then Arne Maier shot over. As if the story had been invented: Riemann himself converted confidently down the left to make the decisive 5:4 and said afterwards quite confidently: “It’s common knowledge that I have a strong right foot. “
First Bundesliga match with 33 – and a special highlight
Quite unusual: penalty killer Riemann is only really in the limelight in the autumn of his career. In August 2021, at the tender age of 33, he played his first Bundesliga match. And with a special highlight: In the third minute, he saved a penalty kick from Wolfsburg’s Wout Weghorst. No coincidence: because he is quick to react, intensively studies the possible shooters and is good at thinking his way into his opponent’s head. “Pure intuition,” says Riemann about his strong record, “I rely on my gut feeling. “
The fact that he has now actually arrived in the Bundesliga makes the veteran “incredibly proud. I have fulfilled a lifelong dream with this. This should show everyone that you can fulfil your dreams if you work hard for them. And I always wanted to compete with the best. “
The responsive Riemann is eminently important for VfL, and not only in his core business. He also directs his front men loudly and comments on their actions almost constantly. Radio Riemann can take credit for his broadcasting consciousness, in the style of Bayern’s Thomas Müller, above all because he leads the way with performance and also gives everything he’s got in training.
Riemann is “like an eleventh outfield player “
At the same time, he also sees himself in his job as a first line player. In the 2nd division, he predominantly drove his team’s play – standing far in front of his own box – with long diagonal balls that found their way to his colleagues with astonishing precision. “I have rarely seen a goalkeeper who is as strong as he is with both feet,” says Reis. Back passes can be quietly served to the wrong foot, Riemann can usually handle the ball safely, even under pressure, because he has outstanding footballing qualities. “He’s like an eleventh outfield player for us,” Reis thinks, “and of course the boys know that they can always play him even under pressure. “
Riemann reduces the risk
Since the promotion, however, it has been agreed that the goalkeeper playing in the game will not look quite so far forward and will keep the risk down. “If you make a bad pass, you look old faster as a goalkeeper in the Bundesliga. In the second division, you look down first or the ball is played back. But in the Bundesliga,” says the coach, “a lot of players have the quality to make a lob right away.” Nevertheless, Riemann is quite intent on getting involved and opening up the game from the back.
And of course he has a very important role to play when it comes to penalties. Regardless of whether he has to make the save – or take the kick himself.
