Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer talks that time Pep Guardiola wanted to play him in the midfield

"Neuer recently reflected on that period. "I could have played [outfield] at a lower level. In a possession-based team in the Third Division, for example, it would have been possible. I probably would have lacked a bit of pace, but I could have played at a good level. I don't know if I would have been a center-back or a defensive midfielder, a bit like Javi Martinez. It could have been interesting. But I'm extremely happy with what I've shown as a goalkeeper,""

"Neuer doesn't dismiss the idea outright. After all, his technical quality, vision, and composure on the ball often resembled that of an outfield player. Guardiola's Bayern Munich frequently relied on him as an auxiliary defender in buildup, effectively creating numerical superiority in possession long before such structures became mainstream across Europe. The comparison he makes to Javi Martínez is telling - a cerebral, physical, defensively aware presence capable of controlling space and tempo."

During Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich tenure, tactical experiments, positional rotations, and bold possession interpretations characterized the team's approach. Manuel Neuer's sweeping, ball-playing goalkeeping altered expectations for the position and often functioned like an auxiliary defender in buildup to create numerical superiority. Guardiola once considered using Neuer in midfield, and Neuer later reflected that he could have played outfield at a lower level—perhaps as a center-back or a defensive midfielder similar to Javi Martínez—despite lacking some pace. Neuer emphasized satisfaction with his achievements as a goalkeeper. The episode illustrates both Neuer's football intelligence and Guardiola's tactical creativity.

Read at Bavarian Football Works