Manuel Neuer backed Yann Sommer to succeed at Bayern Munich but questioned the dismissal of their goalkeeping coach after his freak skiing injury.
Germany veteran Neuer suffered a season-ending injury to his lower right leg in a fall in December.
The 36-year-old subsequently underwent surgery, with the setback coming just days after Germany tumbled out of the World Cup in the group stage.
Bayern searched frantically to replace their star goalkeeper in the January transfer window, eventually bringing in Sommer from Borussia Monchengladbach in a deal Neuer has "no problem at all" with.
He told The Athletic: "I put up a picture in our WhatsApp group and apologised. I also called the people in charge, apologised to them and said I'm sorry.
"I'm not a coward who goes into hiding. I explained everything to them, including the background.
"It created a lot of work for the people who run the club and that I might have harmed the team, yes. I didn't want that. I'm the happiest person when Sven Ulreich does well, as he always has done when he stood in for me.
"When Yann was brought in, I told the bosses I had no problem at all with that. I think it's good we have two great goalkeepers. I'm a team player. It's important to me what happens at Bayern.
"I look at the overall picture I don't just think of me and my pain and so on. I have a vocation, I have a job.
"I'm an important part of the team and also an important part of the club and I want the club and the team to be as successful as possible. That's the most important thing to me.
"I've known Yann for a long time and know that he's a good guy – and a good goalkeeper. The club found a great solution. It was important to me that there's someone there and that I don't have to worry."
While Sommer eased Julian Nagelsmann's goalkeeping fears, Bayern dismissed Neuer's long-time coach Toni Tapalovic.
"That blow hit me extremely hard," Neuer added. "Toni was always a team player with us, everyone saw it that way.
"He wasn't working for me for eleven and a half years, but for the entire goalkeeper group, for the coaching staff and for the club.
"We were always able to separate work and private life. I understand that it might sound like I'm not being objective or not believable, but I can really tell the difference.
"For me, that was a blow – when I was already down on the ground. I felt like my heart was being ripped out. It was the most brutal thing I've experienced in my career. And I've experienced a lot."
Bayern sit a point clear of Union Berlin at the Bundesliga summit ahead of Sunday's visit to Wolfsburg.
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-1 Netherlands: Koeman's side wrap up group stage campaign with away draw
Netherlands ended their Group A3 campaign in the Nations League with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Stadion Bilino Polje on Tuesday.
Ronald Koeman's side, who had already secured their place in the quarter-final heading into the final group fixture, finished with nine points - five fewer than group winners Germany.
Brian Brobbey gave a second-string Oranje the breakthrough in the 24th minute when he headed home a cross from Noa Lang following a short corner kick.
But Ermedin Demirovic scored on the rebound, after Edin Dzeko's initial effort was stopped by goalkeeper Mark Flekken, to help Bosnia salvage a point in the 67th minute, as the hosts finished bottom of the group with two points.
Earlier, Dzeko's shot was cleared off the line by Jorrel Hato in the first half and the Bosnia captain also had a goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up just past the hour mark, before Sergej Barbarez's side found the leveller.
Data Debrief: Bosnia's spirited comeback
The home side ended the first period without registering a single shot on target and only creating an expected goals (xG) of 0.54, compared to the Netherlands' xG of 1.29.
But they were a much-improved side after the break as they restricted the visitors to zero shots on target while recording three of their own to secure a point. They ended the second half with an xG of 0.46, which bettered the Netherlands' xG of 0.37 despite being lower than their first-half effort.
Prior to this fixture, Bosnia and Herzegovina had lost all four of their 2024-25 Nations League matches in which they were losing at half-time. But they fought back this time to end their League A stay with a draw.
Hungary 1-1 Germany: Late penalty forces visitors to settle for a draw
Germany were denied victory away to Hungary in their final Nations League group game after conceding a 99th-minute equaliser to a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty.
Julian Nagelsmann made nine changes from Germany's 7-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina last time out, with this match confirmed as a dead rubber before kick-off, and they struggled for fluency in the first half.
Germany failed to have a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes and lost the xG battle 0.51-0.17.
Things soon picked up, with Leroy Sane having a goal disallowed following a VAR review before Kai Havertz hit the post with a volley just three minutes later, having only come on as a substitute a minute before. They had their goal after 76 minutes when Felix Nmecha was quickest to react to a rebound to score his first international goal.
But Hungary were not to be denied after appeals for a penalty in the 97th minute for an alleged handball against Robin Koch. Following a VAR review, the spot kick was given and Szoboszlai earned a point for the hosts.
Germany's position as winners of Group A3 had already been secured prior to this match, as had Hungary's finishing place of third. Nagelsmann's side will now advance to the Nations League quarter-final, where they will face a second-placed side from League A. Hungary, meanwhile, will face a second-placed side from League B in a relegation play-off.
Data debrief: Germany keep scoring streak going
Germany extended their run of scoring in Nations League matches to seven consecutive games with their 1-1 draw in Budapest.
Nagelsmann's side conclude their group campaign with 18 goals in six matches, helped by their 7-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina last time out.
Following their draw today, Germany have now scored in 12 straight matches, including friendlies.
Bahrain 2-2 Australia: Yengi rescues point for visitors with stoppage-time equaliser
Kusini Yengi was the hero for Australia after scoring in the first minute and the 97th to help salvage a 2-2 draw away to Bahrain in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
The result extended manager Tony Popovic's unbeaten start with the Socceroos to four matches, although three of those have been draws.
Things got off to a great start for the visitors, going a goal up inside 40 seconds after Portsmouth forward Kusini Yengi nipped in to intercept an underhit back pass from Sayid Mahdi Baqer and find the net.
Yengi had the next moment of note after hitting the post on 61 minutes from a Riley McGree cross, before a poor touch let him down when well-placed three minutes later.
Australia were made to pay for not killing the game, when Mahdi Abduljabbar lobbed Mat Ryan from 45 yards to get Bahrain level in the 75th minute. It went from bad to worse two minutes later, when Abduljabbar got his second following a defensive mix-up between Ryan and Hayden Matthews.
But Yengi rescued his side deep into stoppage time, reacting quickest to bury a ricocheting ball in the six-yard box. The result was Australia's fourth draw in six matches and leaves them second in Group C on seven points, with teams from third to sixth – including fifth-placed Bahrain – all on six.
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