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Bayern suspend Mane after Sane dressing room spat
'In addition, Mane will receive a fine,' added Bayern.
Sadio Mane (left) has been suspended by Bayern Munich after a dressing room bust-up with teammate Leroy Sane (right). Picture: EPA-EFE/PETER POWELL
Bayern Munich have suspended forward Sadio Mane for one game following an altercation with Leroy Sane after this week’s Champions League loss to Man City, the club announced Thursday.
Newspaper Bild reported former City winger Sane was hit in the face by the Senegal attacker, suffering a cut lip after Tuesday’s loss.
“Sadio Mane, 31, will not be in the FC Bayern squad for the home game against 1899 Hoffenheim next Saturday,” Bayern said.
“The reason is misconduct by Mane after FC Bayern’s Champions League game at Manchester City.
“In addition, Mane will receive a fine,” they added.
The one-match suspension means Mane will be available for manager Thomas Tuchel in Wednesday’s return leg against Manchester City in Munich.
Bild reported the clash started in the dying stages of Bayern’s loss in Manchester, with footage showing the two arguing on the pitch.
Mane has endured a frustrating time since joining the German champions from Liverpool in the summer of 2022.
Signed as a replacement for the departing Robert Lewandowski, the Champions League winner has scored 11 times in 32 matches for Bayern.
The two-time African Player of the Year scored six goals in his first seven matches in all competitions for Bayern, but has not scored since October.
Mane has also had six goals ruled out for offside so far this season for Bayern, a Bundesliga record.
Mane suffered a leg injury while playing for Bayern against Werder Bremen in November which kept him out of Senegal’s Qatar World Cup campaign and he missed nine club matches.
After Bayern’s German Cup exit at the hands of Freiburg in early April, a smiling Mane told reporters “soon, I promise you” after he was asked when he would return to the spectacular form he displayed with Liverpool.
Mane was given his first start under Tuchel, who replaced the sacked Julian Nagelsmann last month, in Saturday’s 1-0 league win at Freiburg, missing several chances to score.
Before the incident, Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn acknowledged Mane’s struggles, putting it down to the former Southampton striker having “a lot of competition” for starting spots.
“He doesn’t know that (from Liverpool) and is perhaps not used to it.”
“He’s still looking for himself.”
Bayern declined media requests to comment on the altercation.
Mane and Sane were seen on the training pitch early on Thursday, hours before the suspension was announced.
The loss was Bayern’s biggest Champions League defeat since 2017 and one of the club’s most devastating defeats in Champions League history.
Despite Mane being available, the six-time European champions now have little hope of turning over the deficit in next Wednesday’s return leg in Munich to make it to the semifinals.
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