Sadio Mane breaks his silence on PUNCHING team-mate Leroy Sane last season – and reveals his plans for what he wants this summer as Bayern Munich name him on a seven-man transfer list
Sadio Mane has broken his silence on the extraordinary scrap with team-mate Leroy Sane last season.
The former Liverpool man, who was recently voted the most disappointing player in the Bundesliga last term, lashed out at his Bayern Munich team-mate, punching him in the face after a 3-0 defeat by Man City at the Etihad in April.
He was subsequently fined £250,000 by the club – the biggest in their history – and given a one-game ban.
Sane was left with a bloodied lip and team-mates had to separate them in the tunnel.
They had been seen arguing on the pitch as they trudged off following the Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat and the confrontation continued.
Sadio Mane spoke about punching Sadio Mane in an interview on Senegalese television
Sane’s lip was visibly swollen in the game after the incident took place back in April
Mane and Sane clashed on the pitch and their argument spilled over into the tunnel
The pair appeared to bury the hatchet, with Sane even reportedly telling the club not to sack the Senegal winger.
And Mane has now reflected on the ugly incident. Speaking to reporters in his homeland, he said: ‘This kind of things can happen. It happened. We were able to solve this small problem.
‘Sometimes it’s good to solve problems, but maybe not in this way. It’s behind us now. We’ll try to fight together to help the club achieve its goals next season.
‘I’m on vacation with the family. It was a very complicated season, it happens. It wasn’t a surprise, I expected things to be a bit complicated. It’s normal.
‘I love challenges, and Bayern is a big challenge. It’s up to me to do everything to meet this challenge.’
Mane has been linked with an exit this summer after his underwhelming first season in Germany having moved on from Liverpool for £35m.
German outlet Bild have claimed Mane is on a seven-man list of players Thomas Tuchel is happy to let move on along with Sane, Serge Gnabry, Bouna Sarr, Alexander Nubel, Marcel Sabitzer and Benjamin Pavard.
But he added: ‘God willing. If everything goes well, I’m going to return to Bayern.’
He has attracted interest from Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia and recently showed signs of his former self, scoring twice in a 4-2 win for Senegal against Brazil in a friendly this month.
Mane endured a difficult campaign but says he will be staying at Bayern next season
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