Marc-Andre ter Stegen Says 'I Am Not Fighting' with Germany No. 1 Manuel Neuer

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has said he and Bayern Munich stopper Manuel Neuer are not fighting despite ongoing disputes about the No. 1 spot in the Germany national team. 

Bayern president Uli Hoeness recently threatened to stop making the club's players available for Germany if Ter Stegen took Neuer's spot in the national side.

That came after the pair both spoke out about the situation around the September international break, with Ter Stegen eventually labelling some of Neuer's comments "inappropriate."

Speaking ahead of Germany's double-header against Argentina and Estonia, Ter Stegen, 27, moved to clarify his position, per El Mundo Deportivo (h/t Colin Millar of Football Espana):

"I am not fighting with Manuel. Neuer knows that when I made those statements they [the media] went for me, not for him. We have a good relationship, very professional, we talk a lot but this issue has not been a subject of discussion among us. It is a good relationship and without any confrontation. There is no fight between us or anything that has led us to discuss it with each other."

Neuer, 33, has 90 caps compared to Ter Stegen's 22 and has started each of Germany's last 10 fixtures.

Arguably, though, the Barcelona man's recent form has been better than his countryman's has for Bayern.

Certainly that was the view taken by voters for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019, when Ter Stegen came second to Liverpool's Alisson for The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper:

Germany manager Joachim Low has been understandably loyal to Neuer.

There was a lengthy period when the former Schalke man was widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, and he played a crucial role in Germany winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

Neuer is no longer the consistent presence he once was between the posts, though: 

Ter Stegen, meanwhile, is arguably at his peak and is consistently excellent for Barcelona:

Low has an enviable problem on his hands, but he does not look likely to promote Ter Stegen above Neuer any time soon.

Per Marca, Ter Stegen will play against Argentina and Neuer against Estonia, but Low has confirmed the Bayern player "is our captain and, heading into the Euros, he's our No. 1 if nothing strange happens."