Highlights: A fight broke out between Senegalese player Sadio Mané and his Bayern teammate Leroy Sané after the match against Manchester City on Tuesday (April 11th) The incident confirms the impression left recently on the lawns by the African champion. A big frustration since his injury in November, his absence at the World Cup and his delay to find his best level. The player will also certainly have to pay a heavy fine as a punishment, according to the Bild newspaper. The fight is far from resembling the former Liverpool player, rewarded at the last ceremony of the Ballon d'Or.

Football: Sadio Mané, a fight, symbol of latent frustration?

Sadio Mané during the Manchester City-Bayern Munich match in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League. April 11, 2023. REUTERS - PHIL NOBLE

Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow

3 min

A fight broke out between Senegalese player Sadio Mané and his Bayern teammate Leroy Sané after the match against Manchester City on Tuesday (April 11th). And if this incident confirms the impression left recently on the lawns by the African champion? A big frustration since his injury in November, his absence at the World Cup and his delay to find his best level.

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Frustration has been lurking lately at almost every appearance on the pitch. And on Tuesday, it probably materialized in the form of a punch to his teammate Leroy Sané a few minutes after Bayern's defeat (3-0) against Manchester City in the quarter-finals first leg of the Champions League.

This bloodshed is far from resembling the former Liverpool player, rewarded at the last ceremony of the Ballon d'Or, the Socrates prize for his commitment to societal and charitable projects. His "record" does not mention, either, any act of this kind since the beginning of his professional career in Metz more than ten years ago.

Long stay on bench

So how to explain this blow that "left traces on the face of Leroy Sané? ". We must probably go back to last November and this injury that deprived him of the 2022 World Cup. The last shooter in the penalty shootout that crowned Senegal for the first time in its history in the African Cup, Sadio Mané dreamed of leading his country to new exploits in Qatar. This injury put an end to his ambition and the disappointment was all the greater as the number 10 of the Lions could wonder about the opportunity to play a new World Cup when he has just celebrated his 31st birthday.

If the period of convalescence and healing went well, the return to the lawns was much less so. Mané has returned, but has to settle for the substitutes' bench. Julian Nagelsmann, the former Bayern coach did not start him during the four matches following his return to the league and made him play only eight minutes in the eighth of final return against PSG. An altercation even broke out between the technician and the player after this meeting.

Upon his arrival, the new coach of Bayern, Thomas Tuchel, also leaves him on the bench, especially during the "Klassiker" against Dortmund in the league and Tuesday against Manchester City, against whom Mané has already scored ten goals when he played in England.

Suspended until further notice

Situations that have enough to feed the frustration of the highest paid player of Bayern and the German championship and who runs behind a goal since October 29.

Enough for Sadio Mané to strongly demonstrate the frustration accumulated for months in the dressing room after the game against City?

For the moment, the Bavarian club has decided to suspend the Senegalese until further notice this Thursday, April 13. He is not in Bayern's squad that will face Hoffenheim on Saturday for the 28th matchday of the Bundesliga. The player will also certainly have to pay a heavy fine as a punishment, according to the Bild newspaper. Mané's last concern right now.

Football: Sadio Mané, a fight, symbol of latent frustration?

Football: Sadio Mané, a fight, symbol of latent frustration?

Long stay on bench

Suspended until further notice

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