Manuel Neuer 'is no longer acceptable as Bayern Munich captain' for interview he gave after his close friend was sacked

Manuel Neuer has been slammed by Lothar Matthaus for giving an explosive interview following the sacking of Toni Tapalovic.

Bayern Munich ruthlessly dismissed Tapalovic, who was Neuer's best man at his wedding, as their goalkeeping coach.

Information from the coaching staff had been 'leaked' in the dressing room, with Julian Naglesmann growing frustrated with the 42-year-old.

The former Schalke player had been the club's goalkeeping coach since 2011, with his departure provoking a strong reaction from Neuer.

He said Tapalovic's exit 'felt like my heart was being ripped out' and 'it was the most brutal thing I've experienced in my career.'

The German international's comments haven't gone down well with Matthaus, who believes the star player should no longer be Bayern captain.

Manuel Neuer with Toni Tapalovic from last season. Image: Alamy

"Manuel Neuer is no longer acceptable as Bayern captain," he wrote in his column for Sky Germany.

"He skied negligently and is now giving an unauthorised interview in which he vehemently attacks the club. Hadn't he said a few weeks ago that no one was above the club? And now this."

Matthaus added: "What bothered me a lot about Manuel's interview is the exaggerated choice of words.

"His heart was torn out. With all understanding: no one died, no child is seriously ill, it is the separation of an employee to whom he was very close."

Matthaus' reaction to Neuer is an unwanted distraction ahead of Bayern's big Champions League showdown against Paris Saint-Germain later this month.

Naglesmann also bemoaned Neuer's interview about Tapalovic, saying it 'doesn't help things calm down'.

He said: "I wouldn't have given the interview.

"We have important weeks ahead. It doesn't help calm things down.

"Oliver Kahn made a very, very good statement. Some time ago I had a good conversation with Manuel in private, where we discussed many things.

"I told him the reasons why the separation happened, I didn't want to make it public, which was the right decision in my opinion. My doors are always open, even though I would have chosen a different path [than the interview]."