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Neuer signed professional terms in 2005 after progressing through every age group at his hometown club. He made his Bundesliga debut with Schalke when he came on to substitute the injured Frank Rost on match day two of the 2006–07 season. The 20-year-old eventually won the starting position when Rost was surprisingly dropped for the crunch clash against Bayern Munich. He did not disappoint and managed to secure a 2–2 draw against the defending champions. Despite his young age, he was widely tipped to be a potential successor to his former idol Jens Lehmann in the future for the German national teamWatch This
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On 5 March 2008, in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League against FC Porto, he almost single-handedly kept Schalke in the game with several saves and he forced the game into penalties. He then saved penalties from Bruno Alves and Lisandro Lopez to help Schalke advance to the quarter finals. For his heroics, he was shortlisted for the 2007–08 UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year award; he was the youngest as well as the only Bundesliga goalkeeper on the list.[9] He was one of only three Bundesliga players to play every minute in the 2007–08 season.
On 5 March 2008, in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League against FC Porto, he almost single-handedly kept Schalke in the game with several saves and he forced the game into penalties. He then saved penalties from Bruno Alves and Lisandro Lopez to help Schalke advance to the quarter finals. For his heroics, he was shortlisted for the 2007–08 UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year award; he was the youngest as well as the only Bundesliga goalkeeper on the list.[9] He was one of only three Bundesliga players to play every minute in the 2007–08 season.