But the 21-year-old's heart remains firmly with the fans.

He had produced several world-class saves against 10-man Porto in normal time, twice keeping out point-blank headers from Porto's Moroccan forward Tarik Sektioui either side of half-time.

But he kept his best until last.

He saved spot-kicks from Bruno Alves and Lisandro Lopez - the second a brilliant one-handed block, high to his left - to send Schalke through to the last eight for the first time with a 4-1 win over Porto on penalties.

It was Lopez's 86th-minute goal that gave Porto a 1-0 win, to equal Schalke's 1-0 win from the first leg and send the tie into extra-time.

While Slomka and the rest of the team sang Neuer's praises to the media, the goalkeeper himself climbed into the crowd to celebrate.

Neuer, Gelsenkirchen-born and bred, was among the crowd at the old Parkstadion for the first leg of the 1997 Uefa Cup final, when a 1-0 win over Inter Milan gave Schalke a good result to take to Italy.

In the second leg, Jens Lehmann earned his place as a Schalke great, helping the side to a 4-1 win on penalties after Inter had managed a 1-0 win.

The similarity both of the scoreline and goalkeepers' performances inevitably saw Neuer compared to Lehmann after the shoot-out win over Porto.

But the goalkeeper shrugged off the compliment.

'This was a knock-out game, but it wasn't a final,' Neuer said. 'I was there for the game at home to Inter and a lot of my friends were here tonight. I wanted to celebrate with them.

'It was great being involved in a game like this and it's fantastic to be in the quarter-finals. I was very nervous before the shoot-out, even if I didn't show it.'

Neuer is among a group of talented German goalkeepers lining up as future replacements for Lehmann, and he may yet earn a place in the squad for Euro 2008.

'We know we have a fantastic 'keeper in Manuel,' said Slomka, who had been under fire for losing their last three Bundesliga matches.

'He was brilliant.'

Porto's task became more difficult when referee Howard Webb showed defender Jorge Fucile a red card for a foul on Halil Altintop eight minutes from time.

Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira said: 'Our defeat was so cruel. Everyone saw Porto were the better side and had numerous chances to score.

'My players didn't deserve to go out of the competition in this way.'

REUTERS